--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has often been said that, to make…" description: "\"It has often been said that, to make discoveries, one must be ignorant. This opinion, mistaken in itself, nevertheless conceals a truth. It means that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/claude-bernard-7455_agree_it-has-often-been-said-that-to-make-disc_1257729.jpg" --- # It has often been said that, to make discoveries, one must… ![“It has often been said that, to make discoveries, one must be ignorant. This opinion, mistaken in itself, nevertheless conceals a truth. It means that it is better to know nothing than to keep in mind fixed ideas based on theories whose confirmation we constantly seek, neglecting meanwhile…” quote by Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/claude-bernard-7455_agree_it-has-often-been-said-that-to-make-disc_1257729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/claude-bernard-7455_agree_it-has-often-been-said-that-to-make-disc_1257729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/claude-bernard-7455_agree_it-has-often-been-said-that-to-make-disc_1257729.jpg) > “It has often been said that, to make discoveries, one must be ignorant. This opinion, mistaken in itself, nevertheless conceals a truth. It means that it is better to know nothing than to keep in mind fixed ideas based on theories whose confirmation we constantly seek, neglecting meanwhile everything that fails to agree with them.” [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that true discovery requires setting aside preconceived theories, allowing the mind to be open to unexpected evidence. **In simple terms:** Open mind leads to discovery. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions. Themes science open‑mindedness discovery Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - research - innovation - problem solving - policy making Key Concepts epistemology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs might you be clinging to? - How can you balance skepticism with open inquiry? A Different Perspective Rigidity can also protect against false leads. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Those\] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/those-who-have-an-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-or-in-their-ideas/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Men who have excessive faith in their theories or ideas are not only ill prepared for making discoveries; they also make very poor observations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-or-ideas-are-not-only/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [A man of science rises ever, in seeking truth; and if he never finds it in its wholeness, he discovers nevertheless very significant fragments;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/a-man-of-science-rises-ever-in-seeking-truth-and-if-he-never-finds-it/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [“he would have been the first to scoff at the notion of labeling himself anything other than an explorer. His words to me were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-holley/he-would-have-been-the-first-to-scoff-at-the-notion-of-labeling/) [Val Holley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-holley/) > [When I write, I make discoveries about my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carson-levine/when-i-write-i-make-discoveries-about-my-feelings/) [Gail Carson Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carson-levine/) > [...It would be possible to make much more progress than has been made if the NCI knew its job better, knew how to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/it-would-be-possible-to-make-much-more-progress-than-has-been-made-if/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [“The most important thing is not to work on things that other people are working on because otherwise all you'll do is get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jewitt/the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-work-on-things-that-other-people-2/) David Jewitt > [The secret of all those who make discoveries is that they regard nothing as impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-von-liebig/the-secret-of-all-those-who-make-discoveries-is-that-they-regard/) [Justus von Liebig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justus-von-liebig/) > [ We make our discoveries while in the state \[of high functioning\] because then we are clear-sighted. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/we-make-our-discoveries-while-in-the-state-of-high-functioning/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [To make discoveries, you have to be curious about why the universe is the way it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/to-make-discoveries-you-have-to-be-curious-about-why-the-universe-is/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I want to make my own discoveries…….penetrate the evil which attracts me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-want-to-make-my-own-discoveries-penetrate-the-evil-which-attracts-me/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [We make our discoveries through our mistakes: we watch one another's success: and where there is freedom to experiment there is hope to improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-our-discoveries-through-our-mistakes-we-watch-one-another-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The most important thing is not to work on things that other people are working on because otherwise all you'll do is get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jewitt/the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-work-on-things-that-other-people/) David Jewitt > [There seems to be one quality of mind which seems to be of special and extreme advantage in leading him to make discoveries. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-darwin/there-seems-to-be-one-quality-of-mind-which-seems-to-be-of-special/) [Francis Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-darwin/) > [It is strange that only extraordinary men make the discoveries, which later appear so easy and simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/it-is-strange-that-only-extraordinary-men-make-the-discoveries-which/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## More by Claude Bernard > [In every enterprise ... the mind is always reasoning, and, even when we seem to act without a motive, an instinctive logic still directs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/in-every-enterprise-the-mind-is-always-reasoning-and-even-when-we/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Descriptive anatomy is to physiology what geography is to history, and just as it is not enough to know the typography of a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/descriptive-anatomy-is-to-physiology-what-geography-is-to-history-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge. It is in the darker. It is in the darker regions of science that great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/mediocre-men-often-have-the-most-acquired-knowledge-it-is-in-the/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Ardent desire for knowledge, in fact, is the one motive attracting and supporting investigators in their efforts; and just this knowledge, really grasped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/ardent-desire-for-knowledge-in-fact-is-the-one-motive-attracting-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [If I had to define life in a single phrase, I should clearly express my thought of throwing into relief one characteristic which, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/if-i-had-to-define-life-in-a-single-phrase-i-should-clearly-express/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The investigator should have a robust faith - and yet not believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-investigator-should-have-a-robust-faith-and-yet-not-believe/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Even mistaken hypotheses and theories are of use in leading to discoveries. This remark is true in all the sciences. The alchemists founded chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/even-mistaken-hypotheses-and-theories-are-of-use-in-leading-to/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Tout est poison, rien n'est poison, tout est une question de dose. Everything is poisonous, nothing is poisonous, it is all a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/tout-est-poison-rien-n-est-poison-tout-est-une-question-de-dose/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [A fact in itself is nothing. It is valuable only for the idea attached to it, or for the proof which it furnishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/a-fact-in-itself-is-nothing-it-is-valuable-only-for-the-idea-attached/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/it-is-what-we-know-already-that-often-prevents-us-from-learning/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/we-must-remain-in-a-word-in-an-intellectual-disposition-which-seems/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The fact that knowledge endlessly recedes as the investigator is about to grasp it is what constitutes at the same time his torment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-fact-that-knowledge-endlessly-recedes-as-the-investigator-is/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [But while I accept specialization in the practice, I reject it utterly in the theory of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/but-while-i-accept-specialization-in-the-practice-i-reject-it-utterly/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [First causes are outside the realm of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/first-causes-are-outside-the-realm-of-science/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) [Explore all 91 Claude Bernard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) ## More Agree quotes > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Never be afraid of doing the thing you know in your heart is right, even if others don't agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/never-be-afraid-of-doing-the-thing-you-know-in-your-heart-is-right/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. 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