Doubt Quote by Carl Sagan
““We must surrender our skepticism only in the face of rock-solid evidence. Science demands a tolerance for ambiguity. Where we are ignorant, we withhold belief. Whatever annoyance the uncertainty engenders serves a higher purpose: It drives us to accumulate better data. This attitude is the difference between science and so much else. Science offers little in the way of cheap thrills. The standards of evidence are strict. But when followed they allow us to see far, illuminating even a great darkness.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Cosmos, Episode 1, 1980
Science requires evidence before belief, tolerating uncertainty to motivate data collection and avoid false thrills.
In simple terms: Science needs proof, not guesswork.
Key Takeaway
Seek solid evidence before belief.
Themes
science
evidence
uncertainty
methodology
truth
Mood
curious
analytical
inspirational
Type
philosophical
educational
motivational
When to use this quote
- research labs
- policy making
- medical trials
- journalistic reporting
Key Concepts
empiricism
falsifiability
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance caution with urgency?
- When is it acceptable to act on limited data?
A Different Perspective
Evidence standards can be costly and slow, delaying decisions.
![“[ 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)
