# An Instrument for the Eye by Thomas Edison > “I am experimenting upon an instrument which does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear.” > **— Thomas Edison**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* ## Sources and Context - **Direct or authoritative text:** [Life of Thomas Alva Edison — Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/biography/life-of-thomas-alva-edison/) - **Series source and editorial context:** [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]] — entry 039, “An Instrument for the Eye.” - **Why it belongs:** Edison explains invention through a precise analogy between human senses and technical instruments. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/American|American Collection]] - **Series source:** [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]] - **American route:** [[american/American Ethos - The Founding Brief|The Empirical Case]] - **American route:** [[american/American Aesthetic - Design and Material Culture|Design and Material Culture]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/American Science|American Science]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “I am experimenting upon an instrument which does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear.” — Thomas Edison, Simple Reminders on Real American Pride https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-real-american-pride-039-an-instrument-for-the-eye ```