Where is everybody? Humans could theoretically colonize the galaxy in a million years or so, and if they could, astronauts from older civilizations could do the same. So why haven't they come to Earth?
Enrico FermiRead
I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, 'with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make him wiggle his trunk.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously highlights the flexibility and limitations of models in science and data fitting.
Enrico Fermi's quote serves as a witty reminder of the power and absurdity of mathematical models in science. It suggests that while one can create complex models to fit data, these models can also become overly complicated or disconnected from reality when adorned with excessive parameters. The essence is that fitting a model should maintain a balance between accuracy and simplicity to retain its usefulness.
Themes
ModelsScienceDataParametersHumor
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about statistical analysis, to illustrate the importance of model simplicity.
More from Enrico Fermi
All quotes βThe fact that no limits exist to the destructiveness of this weapon [the 'Super', i.e. the hydrogen bomb] makes its very existence and the knowledge of its construction a danger to humanity as a whole. It is necessarily an evil thing considered in any light. For these reasons, we believe it important for the President of the United States to tell the American public and the world what we think is wrong on fundamental ethical principles to initiate the development of such a weapon.
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Never underestimate the joy people derive from hearing something they already know.
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Experimental confirmation of a prediction is merely a measurement. An experiment disproving a prediction is a discovery.
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Whatever Nature has in store for mankind, unpleasant as it may be, men must accept, for ignorance is never better than knowledge.
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One might be led to question whether the scientists acted wisely in presenting the statesmen of the world with this appalling problem. Actually there was no choice. Once basic knowledge is acquired, any attempt at preventing its fruition would be as futile as hoping to stop the earth from revolving around the sun.
Enrico FermiRead
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