Accepting Quote by Antony Hewish
“The ghostly presence of virtual particles defies rational common sense and is nonintuitive for those unacquainted with physics. Religious belief in God, and Christian belief that God became Man around two thousand years ago, may seem strange to common-sense thinking. But when the most elementary physical things behave in this way, we should be prepared to accept that the deepest aspects of our existence go beyond our common-sense intuitions.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public lecture on physics and religion, date unknown
The quote argues that both quantum phenomena and religious doctrines challenge everyday intuition, suggesting deep truths often lie beyond common sense.
In simple terms: Strange ideas in physics and faith both defy everyday logic.
Key Takeaway
Accept that profound truths may be counter‑intuitive.
Themes
science
faith
intuition
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- discussing quantum theory
- explaining faith to skeptics
- teaching physics
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
quantum mechanics
theology
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile intuition‑defying concepts in science and religion?
- Can we trust intuition as a guide to truth?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue that faith and science are unrelated, limiting the comparison.
![“I remember clearly that when I was little it was explained to me [that] the way that babies were made was that God put the baby into some lady's stomach, right? And, at some point, I learned how it really happened, and really that was the beginning of the end of my belief in God. Up until that…” quote by Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/56a/ira-glass-2464_baby_i-remember-clearly-that-when-i-was-littl_234840.jpg)
