If Edison had a needle to find in a haystack, he would proceed at once with the diligence of the bee to examine straw after straw until he found the object of his search. ... I was a sorry witness of such doings, knowing that a little theory and calculation would have saved him ninety percent of his labor.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Edison’s colleague contrasts Edison’s exhaustive trial-and-error with more efficient theoretical calculation.
- In plain terms
- Edison’s colleague says Edison could have saved labor with a little theory.
- What can you take from it?
- Theory can save labor compared to brute force.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is theory enough?
- How much trial is needed?
Another view
Theory doesn’t always replace practical testing.
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