--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men who have excessive faith in their…" description: "\"Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png" --- # Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make… ![“Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits their object, neglecting whatever is unrelated to it and carefully setting aside everything which might tend toward the idea they wish to combat” quote by Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png) > “Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits their object, neglecting whatever is unrelated to it and carefully setting aside everything which might tend toward the idea they wish to combat” [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. Excessive belief in a theory blinds researchers, causing selective observation and ignoring contradictory data. **In simple terms:** Bias skews scientific observation. Key Takeaway Question assumptions critically. Themes bias observation methodology critical thinking science Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - lab experiments - policy analysis - media reporting - education curricula Key Concepts epistemology research ethics cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can scientists guard against confirmation bias? - What practices ensure objective data collection? A Different Perspective Overcoming bias requires deliberate effort and diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [ \[Those\] 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/) > [It is neither just nor human so to grind men down with excessive labour as to stupefy their minds and wear out their bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-is-neither-just-nor-human-so-to-grind-men-down-with-excessive/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [“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/gary-taubes/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-or-ideas-are-not-only-2/) [Gary Taubes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-taubes/) > [When you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-two-competing-theories-that-make-exactly-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The older you get, the more theories you make up about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jameson-currier/the-older-you-get-the-more-theories-you-make-up-about-things/) [Jameson Currier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jameson-currier/) > [Literary theories will not make a writer write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-wier/literary-theories-will-not-make-a-writer-write/) Allen Wier > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“It is believed by many that the military life is one of adventure and excitement. In truth, that life more often consists of long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/it-is-believed-by-many-that-the-military-life-is-one-of-adventure-and/) [Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/) > [Success flourishes only in perseverance ceaseless, restless perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-flourishes-only-in-perseverance-ceaseless-restless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Im a ham. I was immediately attracted to fencing because it seemed like a romantic, melodramatic form of combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/im-a-ham-i-was-immediately-attracted-to-fencing-because-it-seemed/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [Progress is achieved by exchanging our theories for new ones which go further than the old, until we find one based on a larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/progress-is-achieved-by-exchanging-our-theories-for-new-ones-which-go/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) [Explore all 91 Claude Bernard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) ## More Combat quotes > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Im a ham. I was immediately attracted to fencing because it seemed like a romantic, melodramatic form of combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/im-a-ham-i-was-immediately-attracted-to-fencing-because-it-seemed/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Success flourishes only in perseverance ceaseless, restless perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-flourishes-only-in-perseverance-ceaseless-restless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is believed by many that the military life is one of adventure and excitement. In truth, that life more often consists of long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/it-is-believed-by-many-that-the-military-life-is-one-of-adventure-and/) [Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/) > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The United States can certainly defeat North Vietnam, but the United States cannot defeat a guerrilla war which is being raged from a sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-united-states-can-certainly-defeat-north-vietnam-but-the-united/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [As a soldier and combat veteran, I believe American military forces should only be used in the defense and furtherance of our nation's vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-ernst/as-a-soldier-and-combat-veteran-i-believe-american-military-forces/) [Joni Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-ernst/) > [A warrior is always aware of what is worth fighting for. He does not go into combat over things that do not concern him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-warrior-is-always-aware-of-what-is-worth-fighting-for-he-does-not/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Either we stand united and agree to combat climate change or we will all stumble and fall and condemn humanity to a tragic future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enele-sopoaga/either-we-stand-united-and-agree-to-combat-climate-change-or-we-will/) [Enele Sopoaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enele-sopoaga/) > [But despite their heroic acts, the Vietnam Veterans of America continued to struggle to establish a combat badge in honor of these brave pilots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-holden/but-despite-their-heroic-acts-the-vietnam-veterans-of-america/) [Tim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-holden/) > [Any physical practice can be a competitive sport. What level you can take postures to create the maximum challenge and show your maximum skill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajashree-choudhury/any-physical-practice-can-be-a-competitive-sport-what-level-you-can/) [Rajashree Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajashree-choudhury/) [Browse all 1,019 Combat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits their object, neglecting whatever is unrelated to it and carefully setting aside everything which might tend toward the idea they wish to combat", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claude Bernard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Combat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/claude-bernard-7455_combat_men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-th_372737.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the…” — Claude Bernard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Claude Bernard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men who have excessive faith in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```