--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A mathematician is an individual who…" description: "\"A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of food constitutes a prediction.\" — Bill Gaede" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png" --- # A mathematician is an individual who believes that… ![“A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of food constitutes a prediction.” quote by Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png) > “A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of food constitutes a prediction.” [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It humorously critiques overconfidence in trivial predictions, suggesting true expertise requires rigorous evidence. **In simple terms:** Trivial predictions aren’t real expertise. Key Takeaway Question the basis of your claims. Themes skepticism expertise humor Mood critical reflective Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - academic research - daily decision making - risk assessment Key Concepts epistemology scientific method Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a prediction? - What counts as expertise? A Different Perspective Predictions without data can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Believes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-believes-474120/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Mathematician Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician-individual-2106281/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Prediction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prediction/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Prophesying Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophesying-dog-2470870/) ## Related quotes > [A mathematician is an individual who calls himself a 'physicist' and does 'physics' and physical experiments with abstract concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-calls-himself-a-physicist-and/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [“A mathematician is an individual who proves his beliefs with equations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-proves-his-beliefs-with-equations/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [“A mathematician is an individual who constructs space with 0D particles and then places a bowling ball on this invisible canvas to explain how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-constructs-space-with-0d/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [The disturbed individual who believes himself to be Christ, or to receive messages from God, is something of a cliche in our society. Ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/the-disturbed-individual-who-believes-himself-to-be-christ-or-to/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [Government is a way by which every individual believes he can live at the expense of everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/government-is-a-way-by-which-every-individual-believes-he-can-live-at/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it. Finally suppose he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-gladstone/suppose-an-individual-believes-something-with-his-whole-heart-suppose/) [Brooke Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-gladstone/) > [After all, across the population there are slight differences in brain function, and sometimes these translate directly into different ways of experiencing the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/after-all-across-the-population-there-are-slight-differences-in-brain/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [“The individual that believes God permits a man to hit a woman or speak to her using abusive language, is void of understanding who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/the-individual-that-believes-god-permits-a-man-to-hit-a-woman-or/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/it-s-tough-to-make-predictions-especially-about-the-future/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Predictions are uttered by prophets (free of charge); by clairvoyants (who usually charge a fee, and are therefore more honored in their day than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/predictions-are-uttered-by-prophets-free-of-charge-by-clairvoyants/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Whatever happens, happens. I can't give you a prediction because Jim (Irsay) and I will sit down at some point and he'll get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/whatever-happens-happens-i-can-t-give-you-a-prediction-because-jim/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [Perhaps the safest prediction we can make about the future is that it will surprise us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/perhaps-the-safest-prediction-we-can-make-about-the-future-is-that-it/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [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/) > [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 Bill Gaede > [“A geneticist is a geek who claims to have proven through regression analyses that a Neanderthal had sex with your great-grandmother 50,000 years ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-geneticist-is-a-geek-who-claims-to-have-proven-through-regression/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Science is not about making predictions or performing experiments. Science is about explaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/science-is-not-about-making-predictions-or-performing-experiments/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [For youth, sexual love is whim; for the aged, luxury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/for-youth-sexual-love-is-whim-for-the-aged-luxury/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Atheism is the opium of the mathematicians. Atheism is the religion of Mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/atheism-is-the-opium-of-the-mathematicians-atheism-is-the-religion-of/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Man steps on an ant when he can't catch the fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/man-steps-on-an-ant-when-he-can-t-catch-the-fly/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [A mathematician makes plans to travel backwards in time through a wormhole to a parallel universe when he can't even make it to Mars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-makes-plans-to-travel-backwards-in-time-through-a/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [The mathematicians are the priests of the modern world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/the-mathematicians-are-the-priests-of-the-modern-world/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Today, the rich are the haves and the poor are the have-nots. 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You can't put an article in front. You can't put a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/if-you-can-t-illustrate-it-it-doens-t-belong-in-physics-as-a-noun-you/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [A mathematician is an individual who calls himself a 'physicist' and does 'physics' and physical experiments with abstract concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-calls-himself-a-physicist-and/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Whereas a novice makes moves until he gets checkmated (proof), a Grand Master realizes 20 moves in advance that it’s futile to continue playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/whereas-a-novice-makes-moves-until-he-gets-checkmated-proof-a-grand/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [“A mathematician is an individual who constructs space with 0D particles and then places a bowling ball on this invisible canvas to explain how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-constructs-space-with-0d/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) [Explore all 30 Bill Gaede quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [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/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of food constitutes a prediction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gaede" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-believes-that-prophesying-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-believes-that-prophesying-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/bill-gaede-20559_believe_a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-bel_1045776.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A mathematician is an individual who believes that prophesying that his dog will die if he deprives it of…” — Bill Gaede", "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": "Bill Gaede", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A mathematician is an individual who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-believes-that-prophesying-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-is-an-individual-who-believes-that-prophesying-that/#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 } } ] } ```