Informing Quote by Charles Babbage
“Whenever a man can get hold of numbers, they are invaluable: if correct, they assist in informing his own mind, but they are still more useful in deluding the minds of others. Numbers are the masters of the weak, but the slaves of the strong.”
About This Quote
Numbers empower those who control them; they can enlighten or manipulate depending on the user.
In simple terms: Numbers are tools for power and deception.
Key Takeaway
Use numbers responsibly.
Themes
power
knowledge
ethics
Mood
critical
cautious
Type
philosophical
warning
When to use this quote
- finance
- politics
- education
- data analysis
Key Concepts
information theory
manipulation
Questions to Reflect On
- Who benefits from numerical control?
- How can we safeguard against manipulation?
A Different Perspective
Numbers can be misused, leading to oppression.
![“Science in England is not a profession: its cultivators are scarcely recognised even as a class. Our language itself contains no single term by which their occupation can be expressed. We borrow a foreign word [Savant] from another country whose high ambition it is to advance science, and whose…” quote by Charles Babbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b12/charles-babbage-8461_accord_science-in-england-is-not-a-profession-i_256777.jpg)
