[ Yes, the Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin wrote that phrase. [ FROM GOOGLE search ]
It appears in his philosophical work "Materialism and Empirio-criticism" (1908), specifically in Chapter Five, Section 2, entitled "'Matter Has Disappeared'."
The exact quote in context is:
"The electron is as inexhaustible as the atom, nature is infinite, but it infinitely exists."
Context of the Quote
Targeting "Physical Idealism": At the time, new discoveries (like radium and X-rays) made some physicists think that matter had "disappeared" or that the atom was no longer the fundamental building block.
Defending Dialectical Materialism: Lenin argued against this "idealist" interpretation. He argued that just because science had broken through to a smaller level (the electron), it did not mean the limit of reality had been reached.
Meaning: Lenin was emphasizing that there are endless layers of structure within matter, and human knowledge will continue to discover smaller and more complex things. It was a statement of belief in the infinity of scientific discovery and the objectivity of the physical world.
It is considered one of his most famous philosophical statements regarding science.]
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