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
All quotes βThe child who has been taught to make an accurate elevation, plan, and section of a pint pot has had an admirable training in accuracy of eye and hand.
Thomas HuxleyRead
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.
Thomas HuxleyRead
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.
Thomas HuxleyRead
It is the first duty of a hypothesis to be intelligible.
Thomas HuxleyRead
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.
Thomas HuxleyRead
Similar quotes
Creationist critics often charge that evolution cannot be tested, and therefore cannot be viewed as a properly scientific subject at all. This claim is rhetorical nonsense.
Stephen Jay GouldRead
I believe God did intend, in giving us intelligence, to give us the opportunity to investigate and appreciate the wonders of His creation. He is not threatened by our scientific adventures.
Francis CollinsRead
In a small lab, if you make a mistake, you can go in the next day and fix it. But here, when you are committed to spending a hundred thousand or a million dollars, you can't fix it later. You need to have a system of checks and balances internally. In particle physics, that's just part of the structure.
Barry BarishRead
The space station is the most unique laboratory we've ever built. The reason we have it is to do research on materials, people, medical matters, pharmaceuticals - the possibilities are nearly endless.
John GlennRead
Something can be real - actually existing, not merely illusory - and yet not be fundamental. Scientists used to think that heat, for example, was a fluidlike substance called 'caloric' that flowed from hot objects to colder ones.
Sean M. CarrollRead
Astronauts will remain the explorers, the pioneers-the first to go back to moon and on to Mars. But I think it's really important to make space space available to as many people as we can. It's going to be a while before we can launch people for less than $20 million a ticket. But that day is coming.
Sally RideRead