Isaac Asimov's remark about the infantilism of…
“Isaac Asimov's remark about the infantilism of pseudoscience is just as applicable to religion: 'Inspect every piece of pseudoscience and you will find a security blanket, a thumb to suck, a skirt to hold.' It is astonishing, moreover, how many people are unable to understand that 'X is comforting' does not imply 'X is true'.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Pseudoscience offers comfort like a security blanket, but comfort does not equal truth; critical scrutiny is essential.
In simple terms: Comfortable falsehoods are not true.
Key Takeaway
Question and test comforting beliefs.
Themes
science
skepticism
belief
comfort
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- religious claims
- alternative medicine
- conspiracy theories
- personal anxieties
Key Concepts
epistemology
cognitive bias
faith vs reason
Questions to Reflect On
- What comforts do you cling to that lack evidence?
- How does comfort affect belief formation?
A Different Perspective
Comfort can blind people to evidence.