[Bacteria are the] dark matter of the biological world [with 4 million mostly unknown species in a ton of soil].
E. O. WilsonRead
If you ask almost any of them, 'Do you stand behind your theory? Is this the answer?' I think almost everyone would say, 'No, no, no. I'm just trying to expand the range of possibilities.' We really don't know what's going on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the uncertainty and exploratory nature of scientific theories.
In this quote, Saul Perlmutter highlights the idea that most scientists do not claim absolute certainty about their theories. Instead, they are primarily focused on expanding the range of possibilities and understanding the complexities of the universe, recognizing that there is much we still do not comprehend.
Themes
ScienceTheoryUncertaintyExplorationPossibilities
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about scientific theories at a conference.
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