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Our best theories are not only truer than common sense, they make more sense than common sense...
David Deutsch
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Interpretation

What this quote means

David Deutsch emphasizes the superiority of scientific theories over ordinary intuition.

In this quote, David Deutsch highlights the idea that scientific theories offer a deeper understanding of reality compared to what we consider common sense. He argues that while common sense provides basic interpretations of the world, our best scientific theories are not only more accurate but also provide a more coherent and logical explanation of phenomena, challenging the limits of our intuitive thinking.

Themes

TheoryScienceCommon SenseUnderstandingTruth

In practice

Example use cases

In a science class to emphasize the importance of scientific reasoning over intuition.

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If you can’t program it, you haven’t understood it.
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Feeling insignificant because the universe is large has exactly the same logic as feeling inadequate for not being a cow.
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Discovering a new explanation is inherently an act of creativity.
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To me quantum computation is a new and deeper and better way to understand the laws of physics, and hence understanding physical reality as a whole.
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