It is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.
Thomas HuxleyRead
Any one who has studied the history of science knows that almost every great step therein has been made by the "anticipation of Nature," that is, by the invention of hypotheses, which, though verifiable, often had very little foundation to start with; and, not unfrequently, in spite of a long career of usefulness, turned out to be wholly erroneous in the long run.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The progress of science often relies on hypothesizing about nature, even if those ideas eventually prove incorrect.
This quote by Thomas Huxley emphasizes the crucial role that hypotheses play in the advancement of scientific knowledge. It suggests that many significant discoveries and developments arise from the imaginative projections of scientists, who boldly propose ideas that may lack solid evidence at their inception. Even when such hypotheses are later disproven, their initial formulation can still lead to valuable insights and improvements in understanding the natural world, illustrating the creative and often uncertain nature of scientific inquiry.
Themes
ScienceHypothesisNatureImaginationDiscovery
In practice
Example use cases
In a presentation on the scientific method, you could begin with this quote to highlight the importance of creativity in science.
More from Thomas Huxley
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Let us have "sweet girl graduates" by all means. They will be none the less sweet for a little wisdom; and the "golden hair" will not curl less gracefully outside the head by reason of there being brains within.
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The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.
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It is the first duty of a hypothesis to be intelligible.
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Of the few innocent pleasures left to men past middle life, the jamming of common sense down the throats of fools is perhaps the keenest.
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