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
Science is simply common sense at its best.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Science enhances our natural instinct for observation and reasoning.
This quote by Thomas Huxley suggests that the foundation of scientific inquiry lies in our innate ability to apply common sense, observation, and logical reasoning. It implies that science is not just a complex set of rules and concepts, but a refined application of the fundamental principles of thinking that we all possess, urging us to recognize the value of curiosity and rational thought in understanding the world around us.
Themes
ScienceCommon SenseObservationReasoningUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
During a science fair, I quoted Huxley to emphasize the importance of observation in experiments.
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.
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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
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