Absolute certainty Quote by Carl Sagan
“Absolute certainty will always elude us. We will always be mired in error. The most each generation can hope for is to reduce the error. . . .”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Cosmos, Carl Sagan, 1980
Human knowledge is inherently limited; each era can only lessen mistakes, never achieve perfect certainty.
In simple terms: We can’t be completely sure, only improve.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty, strive to reduce errors.
Themes
knowledge
science
humility
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- research
- policy making
- education
- technology development
Key Concepts
epistemology
error reduction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance humility with confidence?
- What mechanisms help us correct errors?
A Different Perspective
Absolute certainty is unattainable, which can hinder decisive action.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
![“We do know, with absolute certainty, that [Saddam] is using his procurement system to acquire the equipment he needs in order to enrich uranium to build a nuclear weapon.” quote by Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cb4/dick-cheney-1810_absolute-certainty_we-do-know-with-absolute-certainty-that_363969.jpg)
