--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Sherlock Holmes:] The temptation to form…" description: "\"[Sherlock Holmes:] The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.\" — Arthur Conan Doyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/arthur-conan-doyle-273_bane_sherlock-holmes-the-temptation-to-form-p_181407.jpg" --- # \[Sherlock Holmes:\] The temptation to form premature… ![“[Sherlock Holmes:] The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.” quote by Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/arthur-conan-doyle-273_bane_sherlock-holmes-the-temptation-to-form-p_181407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/arthur-conan-doyle-273_bane_sherlock-holmes-the-temptation-to-form-p_181407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/arthur-conan-doyle-273_bane_sherlock-holmes-the-temptation-to-form-p_181407.jpg) > “\[Sherlock Holmes:\] The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.” [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forming conclusions without enough evidence leads to errors and undermines credibility. **In simple terms:** Jumping to conclusions without data is risky. Key Takeaway Gather sufficient data before forming theories. Themes critical thinking methodology integrity Mood cautious analytical Type professional philosophical When to use this quote - scientific research - investigations - decision making Key Concepts evidence reasoning bias Questions to Reflect On - What evidence do you need before deciding? - How can you balance speed and thoroughness? A Different Perspective It can delay action when timely decisions are needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bane/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Data Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data-bane-1938635/) [Data science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data-science/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holmes/) [Insufficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insufficient/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Premature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premature/) [Premature Theories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premature-theories-1938633/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Sherlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sherlock/) [Sherlock holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sherlock-holmes/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Theories Insufficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-insufficient-1938634/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) ## Related quotes > [“The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/the-temptation-to-form-premature-theories-upon-insufficient-data-is/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [How dangerous it is to reason from insufficient data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/how-dangerous-it-is-to-reason-from-insufficient-data/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I had ... come to an entirely erroneous conclusion, which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-had-come-to-an-entirely-erroneous-conclusion-which-shows-my-dear/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [The combination of some data and an aching desire for an answer does not ensure that a reasonable answer can be extracted from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/the-combination-of-some-data-and-an-aching-desire-for-an-answer-does/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [We are going to completely change what it means to do advanced analytics with our data solutions. 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I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/shattered-the-bone-and-grazed-the-subclavian-artery-i/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“A study in scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon. 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I ejaculated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/wonderful-i-ejaculated/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Ex-Professor Moriarty of mathematical celebrity... is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/ex-professor-moriarty-of-mathematical-celebrity-is-the-napoleon-of/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/when-a-doctor-does-go-wrong-he-is-the-first-of-criminals-he-has-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of Nature!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/how-small-we-feel-with-our-petty-ambitions-and-strivings-in-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [You wish to put me in the dark. I tell you that I will never be put in the dark. You wish to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/you-wish-to-put-me-in-the-dark-i-tell-you-that-i-will-never-be-put-in/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-he-said-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“It is hard luck on a young fellow to have expensive tastes, great expectations, aristocratic connections but no actual money in his pocket, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-hard-luck-on-a-young-fellow-to-have-expensive-tastes-great/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/in-the-year-1878-i-took-my-degree-of-doctor-of-medicine-of-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) [Explore all 740 Arthur Conan Doyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## More Bane quotes > [The bane of sects, especially in Bengal, is that if any one happens to have a different opinion, he immediately starts a new sect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-bane-of-sects-especially-in-bengal-is-that-if-any-one-happens-to/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Hair, in fact, is probably the bane of most women's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/hair-in-fact-is-probably-the-bane-of-most-women-s-lives/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/suspicion-is-the-companion-of-mean-souls-and-the-bane-of-all-good/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Seek for the Sword that was broken In Imladris it dwells; There shall be counsels taken Stronger than Morgul-spells. There shall be shown a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seek-for-the-sword-that-was-broken-in-imladris-it-dwells-there-shall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tedium is the bane of immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lowe/tedium-is-the-bane-of-immortality/) [Neil Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lowe/) > [Losing is the bane and bugbear of every professional athlete's existence, but in baseball the monster seems to hang closer than in other sports,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-angell/losing-is-the-bane-and-bugbear-of-every-professional-athlete-s/) [Roger Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-angell/) > [“Fear is the bane of all creatures and bubbles inside all forming a rock of solidifying darkness, sucking all will power to act or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-irini-poretsis/fear-is-the-bane-of-all-creatures-and-bubbles-inside-all-forming-a/) [Isabella Irini Poretsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-irini-poretsis/) > [Captcha is the bane of the Internet. I can't figure them out myself half the time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/captcha-is-the-bane-of-the-internet-i-can-t-figure-them-out-myself/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [Women, you overheated dipsomaniacs, never passing up a chance to wangle a drink, a great boon to bartenders but a bane to us--not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/women-you-overheated-dipsomaniacs-never-passing-up-a-chance-to-wangle/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [As you are entered with the class of Nat. philosophy, give to it the hours of lecture, but devote all your other time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/as-you-are-entered-with-the-class-of-nat-philosophy-give-to-it-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ The comic book \[is\] the marijuana of the nursery, the bane of the bassinet, the horror of the home, the curse of the kids… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason-brown/the-comic-book-is-the-marijuana-of-the-nursery-the-bane-of-the/) [John Mason Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason-brown/) > [It's just me and the Bane. 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