--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scientist knows that the ultimate of…" description: "\"The scientist knows that the ultimate of everything is unknowable. No matter What subject you take, the current theory of it if carried to the ultimate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/charles-proteus-steinmetz-2577_currents_the-scientist-knows-that-the-ultimate-of_2212202.png" --- # The scientist knows that the ultimate of everything is… ![“The scientist knows that the ultimate of everything is unknowable. No matter What subject you take, the current theory of it if carried to the ultimate becomes ridiculous. Time and space are excellent examples of this.” quote by Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/charles-proteus-steinmetz-2577_currents_the-scientist-knows-that-the-ultimate-of_2212202.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/charles-proteus-steinmetz-2577_currents_the-scientist-knows-that-the-ultimate-of_2212202.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/charles-proteus-steinmetz-2577_currents_the-scientist-knows-that-the-ultimate-of_2212202.png) > “The scientist knows that the ultimate of everything is unknowable. No matter What subject you take, the current theory of it if carried to the ultimate becomes ridiculous. Time and space are excellent examples of this.” [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ultimate truth of any field is beyond complete understanding; theories become absurd when pushed to extremes. **In simple terms:** Ultimate truths are unknowable; theories break down at extremes. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and stay humble. Themes philosophy science humility Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research - education - philosophical debates Key Concepts epistemology limits of knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance confidence in theories with their limits? - When should we accept uncertainty? A Different Perspective The claim may overgeneralize scientific progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) [Unknowable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unknowable/) ## Related quotes > [“Rees, the secret of a Scientist is not what he knows. 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Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-c-sorensen/) > [There is more in this heaven and earth than what the scientist knows and is revealed in the x-ray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-davies/there-is-more-in-this-heaven-and-earth-than-what-the-scientist-knows/) [Ray Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-davies/) > [“The Unknown is not the Unknowable; it need not remain the unknown for us, unless we choose ignorance or persist in our first limitations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-unknown-is-not-the-unknowable-it-need-not-remain-the-unknown-for/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [If the highest things are unknowable, then the highest capacity or virtue of man cannot be theoretical wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/if-the-highest-things-are-unknowable-then-the-highest-capacity-or/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Throughout it all, you are still, always, you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/throughout-it-all-you-are-still-always-you-beautiful-and-bruised/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [There may be things that are completely unknowable to us, so we must be careful not to treat the limits of our knowledge as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/there-may-be-things-that-are-completely-unknowable-to-us-so-we-must/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [“If the essence of things is unknowable, the misery of man cannot be fathomed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/if-the-essence-of-things-is-unknowable-the-misery-of-man-cannot-be/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [There is only ever one answer to the question what did you do with your life, and it's the same--fleeting and unknowable--for every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-wiggins/there-is-only-ever-one-answer-to-the-question-what-did-you-do-with/) [Marianne Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-wiggins/) > [Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/music-can-name-the-unnameable-and-communicate-the-unknowable/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [The more unknowable the mystery, the more beautiful it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-more-unknowable-the-mystery-the-more-beautiful-it-is/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“Identity confusion... is as if somebody lost their mental road map and has no appreciation of who they are or what is going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-chefetz/identity-confusion-is-as-if-somebody-lost-their-mental-road-map-and/) Richard A. 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The more facts we know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/scientific-theories-need-reconstruction-every-now-and-then-if-they/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [ \[I predict\] the electricity generated by water power is the only thing that is going to keep future generations from freezing. Now we use… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/i-predict-the-electricity-generated-by-water-power-is-the-only-thing/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [The most important advance in the next fifty years will be in the realm of the spiritual - dealing with the spirit of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/the-most-important-advance-in-the-next-fifty-years-will-be-in-the/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [From a mathematical standpoint it is possible to have infinite space. In a mathematical sense space is manifoldness, or combinations of numbers. Physical space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/from-a-mathematical-standpoint-it-is-possible-to-have-infinite-space/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/no-man-really-becomes-a-fool-until-he-stops-asking-questions/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [Spiritual power is a force which history clearly teaches has been the greatest force in the development of men. 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I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) Frank H. 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