--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the facts don't fit the theory, change…" description: "\"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg" --- # If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. ![“If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg) > “If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When evidence contradicts a theory, adjust the data or reinterpret the theory, emphasizing flexibility in inquiry. **In simple terms:** Adapt facts to fit theory. Key Takeaway Stay flexible in thinking. Themes science critical thinking methodology Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research design - data analysis - theoretical modeling Key Concepts epistemology philosophy of science Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to revise data? - What safeguards prevent bias? A Different Perspective Changing facts can be ethically questionable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. Instead of changing their views to fit the facts, they try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-very-powerful-and-the-very-stupid-have-one-thing-in-common/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the facts don't fit your theory, just find some new facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-juby/if-the-facts-don-t-fit-your-theory-just-find-some-new-facts/) [Susan Juby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-juby/) > [Everything must be taken into account. If the fact will not fit the theory---let the theory go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/everything-must-be-taken-into-account-if-the-fact-will-not-fit-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“If the fact will not fit the theory - let the theory go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/if-the-fact-will-not-fit-the-theory-let-the-theory-go/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [If the evidence says you're wrong, you don't have the right theory. You change the theory, not the evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/if-the-evidence-says-you-re-wrong-you-don-t-have-the-right-theory-you/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [The world is too complex for subsumption under any general theory of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-is-too-complex-for-subsumption-under-any-general-theory-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [If you cant find evidence to support something you believe in, keep searching. If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-cant-find-evidence-to-support-something-you-believe-in-keep/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [My theory of change is that there are already millions of people working day in and day out on the ground to deliver on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/my-theory-of-change-is-that-there-are-already-millions-of-people/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [A symptom of the revolution: When we state something is impossible in theory, but then change our minds when we discover that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/a-symptom-of-the-revolution-when-we-state-something-is-impossible-in/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [We are definitely living in the butterfly effect theory, where any change that is made in the past is going to have a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/we-are-definitely-living-in-the-butterfly-effect-theory-where-any/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [I've learned... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-to-ignore-the-facts-does-not-change-the-facts/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-about-finding-out-what-can-happen-in-the-frame-when/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [Scientists would rather change facts than their theories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lilley/scientists-would-rather-change-facts-than-their-theories/) [Peter Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lilley/) > [You can't change the world But you can change the facts And when you change the facts You change points of view If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-t-change-the-world-but-you-can-change-the-facts-and-when-you/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Debating, doubting, or rejecting the basic scientific facts about climate change in the face of the overwhelming evidence and overwhelming scientific opinion will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/debating-doubting-or-rejecting-the-basic-scientific-facts-about/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change-the-facts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change-the-facts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/anonymous-1_change_if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change_2956824.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the facts don't fit the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change-the-facts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-facts-don-t-fit-the-theory-change-the-facts/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```