--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science not only describes, it predicts…" description: "\"“Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that rele..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/b-f-skinner-2-27274_science_science-not-only-describes-it-predicts-i_733284.jpg" --- # Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only… ![“Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that relevant conditions can be altered, or otherwise controlled, the future can be controlled. If we are to use the methods of science in the field of human…” quote by B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/b-f-skinner-2-27274_science_science-not-only-describes-it-predicts-i_733284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/b-f-skinner-2-27274_science_science-not-only-describes-it-predicts-i_733284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/b-f-skinner-2-27274_science_science-not-only-describes-it-predicts-i_733284.jpg) > ““Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that relevant conditions can be altered, or otherwise controlled, the future can be controlled. If we are to use the methods of science in the field of human affairs, we must assume that behavior is lawful and determined. We must expect to discover that what a man does is the result of specifiable conditions and that once these conditions have been discovered, we can anticipate and to some extent determine his actions.”” [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science can forecast and shape future human actions if underlying conditions are known and controllable. **In simple terms:** Science can predict and influence behavior. Key Takeaway Use scientific analysis to guide policy. Themes science prediction control human behavior Mood analytical optimistic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - public policy - education reform - organizational management - health interventions Key Concepts determinism behaviorism causality Questions to Reflect On - What conditions must we identify to influence outcomes? - Can we ethically manipulate behavior? A Different Perspective Assumes behavior is fully deterministic, ignoring free will and emergent factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Last Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-word/) [Prediction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prediction/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Traditional academic science describes human beings as highly developed animals and biological thinking machines. We appear to be Newtonian objects made of atoms, molecules,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/traditional-academic-science-describes-human-beings-as-highly/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [Yet is it possible in terms of the motion of atoms to explain how men can invent an electric motor, or design and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-compton/yet-is-it-possible-in-terms-of-the-motion-of-atoms-to-explain-how-men/) [Arthur Compton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-compton/) > [“Science describes the world; it doesn't explain it: it can describe the universe's formation, but it cannot explain why such an event would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-meldrum/science-describes-the-world-it-doesn-t-explain-it-it-can-describe-the/) [Christina Meldrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-meldrum/) > [“Bayes’s theorem predicts that the Bayesians will win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/bayes-s-theorem-predicts-that-the-bayesians-will-win/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [He predicts things. I have often heard him say things which are proved right minutes later. Its really impressive - almost mystical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didier-drogba/he-predicts-things-i-have-often-heard-him-say-things-which-are-proved/) [Didier Drogba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didier-drogba/) > [No one predicts the future. No one tries to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/no-one-predicts-the-future-no-one-tries-to/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [An expert is the one who predicts the job will take the longest and cost the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bloch/an-expert-is-the-one-who-predicts-the-job-will-take-the-longest-and/) [Arthur Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bloch/) > [It is not predictions but plans that make the future. If you want predictions, it is because you do not have the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/it-is-not-predictions-but-plans-that-make-the-future-if-you-want/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [But I don't think I have any particular talent for prediction, because when you have three or four elements in hand, you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/but-i-don-t-think-i-have-any-particular-talent-for-prediction-because/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [It's impossible for us to forecast what's going to happen ten years from now and make a decision today to say what we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rangel/it-s-impossible-for-us-to-forecast-what-s-going-to-happen-ten-years/) [Charles Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rangel/) > [“Our world is increasingly complex, often chaotic, and always fast-flowing. This makes forecasting something between tremendously difficult and actually impossible, with a strong shift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mcafee/our-world-is-increasingly-complex-often-chaotic-and-always-fast/) [Andrew McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mcafee/) > [“And how did you know about that?” Seven looked at his watch. Chase held up a hand. “Let me guess, in two minutes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-wilder/and-how-did-you-know-about-that-seven-looked-at-his-watch-chase-held/) [Adrienne Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-wilder/) > [“It takes a huge investment in introspection to learn that the thirty or more hours spent “studying” the news last month neither had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-takes-a-huge-investment-in-introspection-to-learn-that-the-thirty/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I'm going to make a prediction - it could go either way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/i-m-going-to-make-a-prediction-it-could-go-either-way/) [Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More by B.F. Skinner > [“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-amateur-doesn-t-appreciate-the-need-for-experimentation-he-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“In a pre-scientific society the best the common man can do is pin his faith on a leader and give him his support, trusting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/in-a-pre-scientific-society-the-best-the-common-man-can-do-is-pin-his/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“One may take the line that metaphorical devices are inevitable in the early stages of any science and that although we may look with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/one-may-take-the-line-that-metaphorical-devices-are-inevitable-in-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Democracy is the spawn of despotism. And like father, like son. Democracy is power and rule. It's not the will of the people, remember;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/democracy-is-the-spawn-of-despotism-and-like-father-like-son/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [ “The most effective alternative process \[to punishment\] is probably extinction. This takes time but is much more rapid than allowing the response to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-most-effective-alternative-process-to-punishment-is-probably/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“This is implied in the assertion that a man shows certain behavior because he was “born that way.” To object to this is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/this-is-implied-in-the-assertion-that-a-man-shows-certain-behavior/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Severe punishment unquestionably has an immediate effect in reducing a tendency to act in a given way. This result is no doubt responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/severe-punishment-unquestionably-has-an-immediate-effect-in-reducing/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Once in a while a new government initiates a program to put power to better use, but its success or failure never really proves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/once-in-a-while-a-new-government-initiates-a-program-to-put-power-to/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Promising paradise or threatening hell-fire is, we assumed, generally admitted to be unproductive. It is based upon a fundamental fraud which, when discovered, turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/promising-paradise-or-threatening-hell-fire-is-we-assumed-generally/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“In a democracy, there is no check against despotism, because the principle of democracy is supposed to be itself a check. But it guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/in-a-democracy-there-is-no-check-against-despotism-because-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“We can achieve a sort of control under which the controlled, though they are following a code much more scrupulously than was ever the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/we-can-achieve-a-sort-of-control-under-which-the-controlled-though/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Compare two people, one of whom has been crippled by an accident, the other by an early environmental history which makes him lazy and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/compare-two-people-one-of-whom-has-been-crippled-by-an-accident-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“The tender sentiment of the 'one and only' has less to do with constancy of heart than with singleness of opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-tender-sentiment-of-the-one-and-only-has-less-to-do-with/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“This week we'll be learning about key elements of high quality picture books. Using the award winner lists in our course materials, select one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/this-week-we-ll-be-learning-about-key-elements-of-high-quality/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Nowadays, everybody fancies himself an expert in government and wants to have a say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/nowadays-everybody-fancies-himself-an-expert-in-government-and-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) [Explore all 19 B.F. Skinner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) ## More Prediction quotes > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I'm going to make a prediction - it could go either way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/i-m-going-to-make-a-prediction-it-could-go-either-way/) [Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/) > [“It takes a huge investment in introspection to learn that the thirty or more hours spent “studying” the news last month neither had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-takes-a-huge-investment-in-introspection-to-learn-that-the-thirty/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“And how did you know about that?” Seven looked at his watch. Chase held up a hand. “Let me guess, in two minutes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-wilder/and-how-did-you-know-about-that-seven-looked-at-his-watch-chase-held/) [Adrienne Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-wilder/) > [“Our world is increasingly complex, often chaotic, and always fast-flowing. This makes forecasting something between tremendously difficult and actually impossible, with a strong shift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mcafee/our-world-is-increasingly-complex-often-chaotic-and-always-fast/) [Andrew McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mcafee/) > [It's impossible for us to forecast what's going to happen ten years from now and make a decision today to say what we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rangel/it-s-impossible-for-us-to-forecast-what-s-going-to-happen-ten-years/) [Charles Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rangel/) > [But I don't think I have any particular talent for prediction, because when you have three or four elements in hand, you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/but-i-don-t-think-i-have-any-particular-talent-for-prediction-because/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [It is not predictions but plans that make the future. If you want predictions, it is because you do not have the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/it-is-not-predictions-but-plans-that-make-the-future-if-you-want/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. It was the third of Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws of prediction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/any-sufficiently-advanced-technology-is-indistinguishable-from-magic/) [Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/) > [“During many ages, the prediction, as it is usual, contributed to its own accomplishment. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/during-many-ages-the-prediction-as-it-is-usual-contributed-to-its-own/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It is hard to predict the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/it-is-hard-to-predict-the-future/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [“Conspiracy theory, like causality, works fantastically well as an explanatory model but only if you use it backwards. The fact that we cannot predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/conspiracy-theory-like-causality-works-fantastically-well-as-an/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [“I may be surprised. But I don't think I will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-strauss/i-may-be-surprised-but-i-don-t-think-i-will-be/) [Andrew Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-strauss/) > [The consequences of our actions are so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed\_Albus Dumbledore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jk-rowling/the-consequences-of-our-actions-are-so-complicated-so-diverse-that/) [JK Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jk-rowling/) > [“I never assume anything. I anticipate the possibilities and allow my imagination to create the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/i-never-assume-anything-i-anticipate-the-possibilities-and-allow-my/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) [Browse all 218 Prediction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prediction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that relevant conditions can be altered, or otherwise controlled, the future can be controlled. If we are to use the methods of science in the field of human affairs, we must assume that behavior is lawful and determined. 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