The scientist has to take 95 per cent of his subject on…
“The scientist has to take 95 per cent of his subject on trust. He has to because he can't possibly do all the experiments, therefore he has to take on trust the experiments all his colleagues and predecessors have done. Whereas a mathematician doesn't have to take anything on trust. Any theorem that's proved, he doesn't believe it, really, until he goes through the proof himself, and therefore he knows his whole subject from scratch. He's absolutely 100 per cent certain of it. And that gives him an extraordinary conviction of certainty, and an arrogance that scientists don't have.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Scientists rely on trust for experimental work, unlike mathematicians who verify proofs themselves, leading to confidence and possible arrogance.
In simple terms: Science depends on trust; math relies on proof; both have strengths.
Key Takeaway
Balance trust with verification in research.
Themes
trust
science
methodology
confidence
arrogance
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analysis
philosophical
When to use this quote
- laboratory research
- theoretical work
- peer review
Key Concepts
epistemology
philosophy of science
mathematics
Questions to Reflect On
- When is trust in science justified?
- How can arrogance affect scientific progress?