Omniscience Quote by Ann Leckie
““If you’re going to do something that crazy, save it for when it’ll make a difference. But absent near-omniscience there’s no way to know when that is. You can only make your best approximate calculation. You can only make your throw and try to puzzle out the results afterward.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie, 2013
When acting on uncertain, high‑risk ideas, we must accept limited foresight and rely on best‑guess calculations, learning from outcomes afterward.
In simple terms: Act on crazy ideas with caution, using best guesses.
Key Takeaway
Plan, act, then evaluate results.
Themes
risk
uncertainty
decisionmaking
learning
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
inquisitive
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- startup ventures
- scientific experiments
- creative problem solving
Key Concepts
probabilistic reasoning
adaptive strategy
trial and error
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks are worth taking without full data?
- How do you evaluate success after acting?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on intuition can cause costly mistakes.
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