--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Optimism is evidence-based." description: "\"Optimism is evidence-based.\" — Cornel West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg" --- # Optimism is evidence-based. ![“Optimism is evidence-based.” quote by Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg) > “Optimism is evidence-based.” [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism should be grounded in evidence and realistic assessment. **In simple terms:** Optimism needs evidence. Key Takeaway Base hope on data and facts. Themes optimism evidence critical thinking Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - policy making - personal goals - education reform - health decisions Key Concepts philosophy science psychology Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your hopeful outlook? - How do you balance optimism with caution? A Different Perspective Over-optimism can ignore risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) ## Related quotes > [Today, if the CEO thinks it's a good idea, it's done everywhere; if the CEO thinks it's a bad idea, it's done nowhere. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/today-if-the-ceo-thinks-it-s-a-good-idea-it-s-done-everywhere-if-the/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [We have to keep up the fight for evidence-based science and policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-corbyn/we-have-to-keep-up-the-fight-for-evidence-based-science-and-policy/) [Piers Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-corbyn/) > [“Successful organizations have cultures in which evidence-based decision making is the norm rather than the exception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/successful-organizations-have-cultures-in-which-evidence-based/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Use evidence-based decision-making tools.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/use-evidence-based-decision-making-tools/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“What do we want? EVIDENCE-BASED CHANGE. When do we want it? AFTER PEER REVIEW.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epic-sign-of-college-protestor/what-do-we-want-evidence-based-change-when-do-we-want-it-after-peer/) Epic sign of college protestor > [I believe in evidence-based decision making. I want to know what the facts are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-believe-in-evidence-based-decision-making-i-want-to-know-what-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [People are trying to build a society where they can talk across the aisle so to speak, and have civil discourse. At the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/people-are-trying-to-build-a-society-where-they-can-talk-across-the/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Science is evidence-based and provides a continuing understanding of complex natural phenomena. Our understanding is constantly evolving and continually improving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamvada-natarajan/science-is-evidence-based-and-provides-a-continuing-understanding-of/) [Priyamvada Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamvada-natarajan/) > [“When possible, quality is founded on evidence-based medicine that not only includes clinical data, but also economic and patient-centered outcomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-nash/when-possible-quality-is-founded-on-evidence-based-medicine-that-not/) David B. Nash > [I am strongly committed to evidence-based policymaking across government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/i-am-strongly-committed-to-evidence-based-policymaking-across/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [Positive findings are around twice as likely to be published as negative findings. This is a cancer at the core of evidence-based medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-findings-are-around-twice-as-likely-to-be-published-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lots of people in the open system are very determined to try and strengthen evidence-based policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/lots-of-people-in-the-open-system-are-very-determined-to-try-and/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [There are some people in politics and in the press who can't be confused by the facts. They just will not live in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-are-some-people-in-politics-and-in-the-press-who-can-t-be/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“At school you were taught about chemicals in test tubes, equations to describe motion, and maybe something on photosynthesis – about which more later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-goldacre/at-school-you-were-taught-about-chemicals-in-test-tubes-equations-to-2/) [Ben Goldacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-goldacre/) > [Evidence-based reasoning underpins all scientific thinking, and it involves testing hypotheses or theories against data. Validating a theory requires replicable measurements from independent groups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamvada-natarajan/evidence-based-reasoning-underpins-all-scientific-thinking-and-it/) [Priyamvada Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamvada-natarajan/) ## More by Cornel West > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I feel as if I have been blessed to undergo a transformation from 'gangster' to 'redeemed sinner with gangster proclivities.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-feel-as-if-i-have-been-blessed-to-undergo-a-transformation-from/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/like-king-we-need-to-put-on-our-cemetery-clothes-and-be-coffin-ready/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [ “You can't really move forward until you look back. \[From Remaking America panel discussion at George Washington University\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-t-really-move-forward-until-you-look-back-from-remaking/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [When we think of globalization we are thinking in part of structures and institutions that have been developed over time and that have allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/when-we-think-of-globalization-we-are-thinking-in-part-of-structures/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The challenge artists face today is whether to be an underground, unheard genius, or to dilute their art for the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-challenge-artists-face-today-is-whether-to-be-an-underground/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [For me, musicians are poets. Beethoven describes himself as a poet of tones, just like Coltrane's a poet of tempo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/for-me-musicians-are-poets-beethoven-describes-himself-as-a-poet-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I don't draw any distinctions between forms of bigotry or forms of ideology that lose sight of the humanity of people. I can't stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-don-t-draw-any-distinctions-between-forms-of-bigotry-or-forms-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Barack Obama has domesticated the left in such a way that we feel as if we have no alternative but him...I refuse to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/barack-obama-has-domesticated-the-left-in-such-a-way-that-we-feel-as/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Larry Summers, I think, he had a long history of arrogance and relative ignorance about poor people's culture and working people's culture and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/larry-summers-i-think-he-had-a-long-history-of-arrogance-and-relative/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-someone-is-the-gift-of-inspiration/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [You can see it in terms of the obsession on Wall Street with not just profits but greed, more profit, more profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-see-it-in-terms-of-the-obsession-on-wall-street-with-not-just/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Anybody who takes Martin Luther King seriously has got to go beyond the standard understanding of who he was, has to connect those dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/anybody-who-takes-martin-luther-king-seriously-has-got-to-go-beyond/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) [Explore all 400 Cornel West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More Based quotes > [Like in nature, I like things which are based on a few simple principles, even though their manifestation can be very rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/like-in-nature-i-like-things-which-are-based-on-a-few-simple/) [Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/an-art-which-isn-t-based-on-feeling-isn-t-an-art-at-all/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [I'm a fact-based leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-breed/i-m-a-fact-based-leader/) [London Breed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-breed/) > [At Inter, I earned my wages based on the results on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/at-inter-i-earned-my-wages-based-on-the-results-on-the-field/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-ve-always-made-my-decisions-based-on-two-factors-intellectual/) [Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/) > [Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/pro-lifers-have-long-been-castigated-for-bringing-private-values-into/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [Christianity is based on a book. It centers in a Person. It expresses itself in a message. It authenticates itself in an experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sidlow-baxter/christianity-is-based-on-a-book-it-centers-in-a-person-it-expresses/) [J. Sidlow Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sidlow-baxter/) > [“Teach me about some taxes. Why didn't nobody teach me about taxes on TV? Why don't nobody teach us about none of that man?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mccartney/teach-me-about-some-taxes-why-didn-t-nobody-teach-me-about-taxes-on/) [Brandon McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mccartney/) > [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [Style is based on limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hartford/style-is-based-on-limitations/) [John Hartford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hartford/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) Browse all 830 Based quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Optimism is evidence-based.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cornel West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/optimism-is-evidence-based/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Based" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/optimism-is-evidence-based/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfa/cornel-west-708_evidence_optimism-is-evidence-based-2176187_2176187.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Optimism is evidence-based.” — Cornel West", "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": "Cornel West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Optimism is evidence-based.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/optimism-is-evidence-based/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/optimism-is-evidence-based/#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 } } ] } ```