Boys Quote by Abraham Kaplan
“In addition to the social pressures from the scientific community there is also at work a very human trait of individual scientist. I call it the law of the instrument , and it may be formulated as follows: Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding. It comes as no particular surprise to discover that a scientist formulates problems in a way which requires for their solution just those techniques in which he himself is especially skilled.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Conduct of Inquiry, Abraham Kaplan, 1964
Scientists tend to use familiar tools, limiting their problem‑solving scope.
In simple terms: Scientists favor familiar methods.
Key Takeaway
Broaden your methodological toolkit.
Themes
science
methodology
bias
creativity
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- research
- education
- innovation
Key Concepts
instrumentalism
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you learn new methods?
- When should you stick to familiar techniques?
A Different Perspective
Specialists may lack resources for new tools.
