--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The theory that gravitational attraction…" description: "\"The theory that gravitational attraction is inversely proportional to the square of the distance leads by remorseless logic to the conclusion that the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/anthony-standen-20041_attraction_the-theory-that-gravitational-attraction_1349269.jpg" --- # The theory that gravitational attraction is inversely… ![“The theory that gravitational attraction is inversely proportional to the square of the distance leads by remorseless logic to the conclusion that the path of a planet should be an ellipse … It is this logical thinking that is the real meat of the physical sciences. The social scientist keeps the…” quote by Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/anthony-standen-20041_attraction_the-theory-that-gravitational-attraction_1349269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/anthony-standen-20041_attraction_the-theory-that-gravitational-attraction_1349269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/anthony-standen-20041_attraction_the-theory-that-gravitational-attraction_1349269.jpg) > “The theory that gravitational attraction is inversely proportional to the square of the distance leads by remorseless logic to the conclusion that the path of a planet should be an ellipse … It is this logical thinking that is the real meat of the physical sciences. The social scientist keeps the skin and throws away the meat… His theorems no more follow from his postulates than the hunches of a horse player follow logically from the latest racing news. The result is guesswork clad in long flowing robes of gobbledygook.” [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical sciences rely on logical deduction from fundamental laws; social sciences often lack such rigorous foundations. **In simple terms:** Science varies in logical rigor. Key Takeaway Recognize the methodological limits of different fields. Themes science methodology logic discipline skepticism Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - academic research - policy analysis - education - public discourse Key Concepts philosophy of science empiricism theory vs practice Questions to Reflect On - How can we strengthen rigor in social studies? - What role does intuition play in scientific breakthroughs? A Different Perspective Social sciences also provide valuable insights despite less formal logic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [Gravitational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravitational/) [Gravitational Attraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravitational-attraction-3608890/) [Guesswork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guesswork/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Hunches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunches/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Logical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logical/) [Logical thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logical-thinking/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Physical science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-science/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Postulates Hunches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postulates-hunches-4582300/) [Racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racing/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Remorseless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remorseless/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Robes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robes/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) [Theorems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theorems/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Theory Gravitational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-gravitational-4582299/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Their mutual gravitational attraction will ultimately cause them to collapse inward, in manifest disagreement with an apparently static universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/their-mutual-gravitational-attraction-will-ultimately-cause-them-to/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [The spirit of Christianity proclaims the brotherhood of the race and the meaning of that strong word has not been left to guesswork, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-spirit-of-christianity-proclaims-the-brotherhood-of-the-race-and/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [We are here and it is now. The way I see it is, after that, everything tends towards guesswork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/we-are-here-and-it-is-now-the-way-i-see-it-is-after-that-everything/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“History is personal . . . All that you are seeing is what's before you, the rest is guesswork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/history-is-personal-all-that-you-are-seeing-is-what-s-before-you-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Assumptions are simply guesswork in Sunday clothes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/assumptions-are-simply-guesswork-in-sunday-clothes/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [It was pure guesswork on my part back in 1979 as to whether I would have the stamina to write, pencil, ink, letter, tone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sim/it-was-pure-guesswork-on-my-part-back-in-1979-as-to-whether-i-would/) [Dave Sim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sim/) > [As for geoengineering, there have been serious general critiques that I think cannot be ignored, like Clive Hamilton's, along with many positive assessments. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-for-geoengineering-there-have-been-serious-general-critiques-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The one thing I have learned about editing over the years is that you have to edit and publish out of your own tastes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-one-thing-i-have-learned-about-editing-over-the-years-is-that-you/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Mathematics is not a deductive science, that's a cliché ... What you do is trial and error, experimentation, guesswork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/mathematics-is-not-a-deductive-science-that-s-a-clich-what-you-do-is/) [Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/) > [The computer saves man a lot of guesswork, but so does the bikini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-computer-saves-man-a-lot-of-guesswork-but-so-does-the-bikini/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [... those who are absolutely certain that the rise in temperatures is due solely to carbon dioxide have no scientific justification. It's pure guesswork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-svensmark/those-who-are-absolutely-certain-that-the-rise-in-temperatures-is-due/) [Henrik Svensmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-svensmark/) > [A lot of English traditional music is guesswork anyway, so it's very difficult for people to be vehemently opposed to experimenting with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spiers/a-lot-of-english-traditional-music-is-guesswork-anyway-so-it-s-very/) [John Spiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spiers/) > [C++ is a language strongly optimized for liars and people who go by guesswork and ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/c-is-a-language-strongly-optimized-for-liars-and-people-who-go-by/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [“History is personal, Gwen understands that now. All you are seeing is what's before you, the rest is guesswork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/history-is-personal-gwen-understands-that-now-all-you-are-seeing-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [ It helps, if you've directed, to be able to write a script that is director-friendly. You're really telling them \[directors\], "This is how it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sherman-palladino/it-helps-if-you-ve-directed-to-be-able-to-write-a-script-that-is/) [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sherman-palladino/) ## More by Anthony Standen > [The velocity of light occupies an extraordinary place in modern physics. It is lèse-majesté to make any criticism of the velocity of light. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-velocity-of-light-occupies-an-extraordinary-place-in-modern/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [The really important questions in human life are hardly touched upon by psychologists. Do liars come to believe their own lies? Is pleasure the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-really-important-questions-in-human-life-are-hardly-touched-upon/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [If you want to understand human beings, there are plenty of people to go to besides psychologists… Most of these people are incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/if-you-want-to-understand-human-beings-there-are-plenty-of-people-to/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Survival of the fittest led to "nature red in tooth and claw" and this is not sufficiently wishy-washy for modern scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/survival-of-the-fittest-led-to-nature-red-in-tooth-and-claw-and-this/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Scientists are convinced that they, as scientists, possess a number of very admirable human qualities, such as accuracy, observation, reasoning power, intellectual curiosity, tolerance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/scientists-are-convinced-that-they-as-scientists-possess-a-number-of/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [But regular biology, as an "ology," has to be "scientific," and this means in practice that it has to be made dull… Everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/but-regular-biology-as-an-ology-has-to-be-scientific-and-this-means/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [A biologist, if he wishes to know how many toes a cat has, does not "frame the hypothesis that the number of feline digital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/a-biologist-if-he-wishes-to-know-how-many-toes-a-cat-has-does-not/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [The dreadful cocksureness that is characteristic of scientists in bulk is not only quite foreign to the spirit of true science, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-dreadful-cocksureness-that-is-characteristic-of-scientists-in/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [There's many a true word spoken in jest; scientists are abominably solemn; therefore scientists miss many a true word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/there-s-many-a-true-word-spoken-in-jest-scientists-are-abominably/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Chemists are, on the whole, like physicists, only 'less so'.They don't make quite the same wonderful mistakes, and much what they do is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/chemists-are-on-the-whole-like-physicists-only-less-so-they-don-t/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [The first thing to realize about physics ... is its extraordinary indirectness… For physics is not about the real world, it is about "abstractions"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-first-thing-to-realize-about-physics-is-its-extraordinary/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [If this "critical openminded attitude" ... is wanted, the question at once arises, Is it science that should be studied in order to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/if-this-critical-openminded-attitude-is-wanted-the-question-at-once/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Education, like everything else, goes in fads, and has the normal human tendency to put up with something bad for just so long, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/education-like-everything-else-goes-in-fads-and-has-the-normal-human/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Physical scientists probably deserve the reputation they enjoy for incorruptibility and unswerving devotion to pure truth. The reason for this is that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/physical-scientists-probably-deserve-the-reputation-they-enjoy-for/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Such instances of the almost infinite unpredictability of man are known to social scientists, but they are no more affected by them than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/such-instances-of-the-almost-infinite-unpredictability-of-man-are/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) [Explore all 31 Anthony Standen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) ## More Attraction quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [You cannot perceive what you are not in the vibration of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-anka/you-cannot-perceive-what-you-are-not-in-the-vibration-of/) [Darryl Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-anka/) > [What the Laws of Attraction are really about; how to harness the power of creation within you to make life what you truly desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/what-the-laws-of-attraction-are-really-about-how-to-harness-the-power/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [You are the one who calls the law of attraction into action, and you do it through your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/you-are-the-one-who-calls-the-law-of-attraction-into-action-and-you/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to be Sigmund Freud to surmise that war has a perverse appeal for the human race, nor is the attraction limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/you-don-t-have-to-be-sigmund-freud-to-surmise-that-war-has-a-perverse/) [Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/) > [It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. It only matters if you say you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-doesn-t-matter-if-they-say-you-can-t-do-it-it-only-matters-if-you/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [If you want to find greater happiness and fulfillment in your life, you must begin to understand and live in harmony with the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-want-to-find-greater-happiness-and-fulfillment-in-your-life/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [We don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions. It's much simpler than that. Two categories .. good feelings, bad feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/we-don-t-need-to-complicate-all-the-reasons-behind-our-emotions-it-s/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [Focus on being grateful for what you have already .. enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-on-being-grateful-for-what-you-have-already-enjoy-it-then/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [All of my work is meant to evoke a whole bunch of different layers of discord between the attraction and repulsion that we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/all-of-my-work-is-meant-to-evoke-a-whole-bunch-of-different-layers-of/) [Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/) > [War is thus divine in itself, since it is a law of the world. War is divine through its consequences of a supernatural nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/war-is-thus-divine-in-itself-since-it-is-a-law-of-the-world-war-is/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [As your awareness of the riches available to you in your everyday life grows, you are on the way to becoming the laughing Buddha.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/as-your-awareness-of-the-riches-available-to-you-in-your-everyday/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) [Browse all 2,005 Attraction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The theory that gravitational attraction is inversely proportional to the square of the distance leads by remorseless logic to the conclusion that the path of a planet should be an ellipse … It is this logical thinking that is the real meat of the physical sciences. 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