--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's like saying that two and two equals…" description: "\"It's like saying that two and two equals four, but if you wish to believe it, it could also be five ... Evolution is not a theory; it is a fact, every ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/david-attenborough-2396_believe_it-s-like-saying-that-two-and-two-equals_1394394.jpg" --- # It's like saying that two and two equals four, but if you… ![“It's like saying that two and two equals four, but if you wish to believe it, it could also be five ... Evolution is not a theory; it is a fact, every bit as much as the historical fact that William the Conqueror landed in 1066.” quote by David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/david-attenborough-2396_believe_it-s-like-saying-that-two-and-two-equals_1394394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/david-attenborough-2396_believe_it-s-like-saying-that-two-and-two-equals_1394394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/david-attenborough-2396_believe_it-s-like-saying-that-two-and-two-equals_1394394.jpg) > “It's like saying that two and two equals four, but if you wish to believe it, it could also be five ... Evolution is not a theory; it is a fact, every bit as much as the historical fact that William the Conqueror landed in 1066.” [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientific facts, like evolution, are often contested despite overwhelming evidence, highlighting the gap between knowledge and belief. **In simple terms:** Facts can be denied despite evidence. Key Takeaway Promote evidence‑based understanding. Themes science belief evidence education misinformation Mood concerned determined Type educational informative When to use this quote - classroom teaching - public debates - media reporting - policy making Key Concepts evolution historical fact cognitive dissonance science communication Questions to Reflect On - Why do some reject well‑established scientific facts? - How can we bridge the gap between knowledge and belief? A Different Perspective People may reject facts due to cultural or ideological reasons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conqueror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conqueror/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-facts/) [William the conqueror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-the-conqueror/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [It's a historical fact that the Stasi did horrible things and that they monitored a lot of people in East Germany, but I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/it-s-a-historical-fact-that-the-stasi-did-horrible-things-and-that/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [The occurrence of successive forms of life upon our globe is an historical fact, which cannot be disputed; and the relation of these successive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-occurrence-of-successive-forms-of-life-upon-our-globe-is-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An inert historical fact is any fact about a perfectly ordinary arrangement of matter in the world at some point in the past that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/an-inert-historical-fact-is-any-fact-about-a-perfectly-ordinary/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [Fact without theory is trivia. Theory without fact is bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fact-without-theory-is-trivia-theory-without-fact-is-bullshit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I grow daily to honour facts more and more, and theory less and less. A fact, it seems to me, is a great thing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/i-grow-daily-to-honour-facts-more-and-more-and-theory-less-and-less-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Theory and fact are equally strong and utterly interdependent; one has no meaning without the other. We need theory to organize and interpret facts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/theory-and-fact-are-equally-strong-and-utterly-interdependent-one-has/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“Historical fact: people stopped being human in 1913.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/historical-fact-people-stopped-being-human-in-1913/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [That the apostolic office is temporary, is a plain historical fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hodge/that-the-apostolic-office-is-temporary-is-a-plain-historical-fact/) [Charles Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hodge/) > [“Historical fact: people stopped being human in 1913. That was the year Henry Ford put his cars on rollers and made his workers adopt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/historical-fact-people-stopped-being-human-in-1913-that-was-the-year/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [There are people who said he killed over a hundred men. Historical fact doesn't corroborate one hundred men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-carradine/there-are-people-who-said-he-killed-over-a-hundred-men-historical/) [Keith Carradine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-carradine/) > [I can't shout out, "Do this." I don't want to be prescriptive. I want to give you facts, and that's the way I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-lin/i-can-t-shout-out-do-this-i-don-t-want-to-be-prescriptive-i-want-to/) [Maya Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-lin/) > [I have a multivolume history of the world from the 19th century that begins with Noah's flood as though it's as historical a fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-have-a-multivolume-history-of-the-world-from-the-19th-century-that/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Spain, for so long a mere geographical expression, was somehow transformed into an historical fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-h-elliott-2/spain-for-so-long-a-mere-geographical-expression-was-somehow/) J. H. Elliott > [“At best, the line between historical fact and govrnmental fiction is cloudy; in cases of treason it tends to vanish entirely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-baldwin-smith/at-best-the-line-between-historical-fact-and-govrnmental-fiction-is/) Lacey Baldwin Smith > [But we cannot just take this historical fact for granted. We must make it live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-willkie/but-we-cannot-just-take-this-historical-fact-for-granted-we-must-make/) [Wendell Willkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-willkie/) ## More by David Attenborough > [I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-just-wish-the-world-was-twice-as-big-and-half-of-it-was-still/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I'm against this huge globalisation on the basis of economic advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-m-against-this-huge-globalisation-on-the-basis-of-economic-advantage/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Bringing nature into the classroom can kindle a fascination and passion for the diversity of life on earth and can motivate a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/bringing-nature-into-the-classroom-can-kindle-a-fascination-and/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I don't approve of sunbathing, and it's bad for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-don-t-approve-of-sunbathing-and-it-s-bad-for-you/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I suspect that happiness is not a state but rather a transition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-suspect-that-happiness-is-not-a-state-but-rather-a-transition/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I don't like rats, but there's not much else I don't like. The problem with rats is they have no fear of human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-don-t-like-rats-but-there-s-not-much-else-i-don-t-like-the-problem/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/we-only-know-a-tiny-proportion-about-the-complexity-of-the-natural/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [At a time when it's possible for thirty people to stand on the top of Everest in one day, Antarctica still remains a remote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/at-a-time-when-it-s-possible-for-thirty-people-to-stand-on-the-top-of/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I suffer much less than many of my colleagues. I am perfectly able to go to Australia and film within three hours of arrival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-suffer-much-less-than-many-of-my-colleagues-i-am-perfectly-able-to/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I'm not over-fond of animals. I am merely astounded by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-m-not-over-fond-of-animals-i-am-merely-astounded-by-them/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Television of course actually started in Britain in 1936, and it was a monopoly, and there was only one broadcaster and it operated on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/television-of-course-actually-started-in-britain-in-1936-and-it-was-a/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [It's extraordinary how self-obsessed human beings are. The things that people always go on about is, 'tell us about us', 'tell us about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/it-s-extraordinary-how-self-obsessed-human-beings-are-the-things-that/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [This last chapter .. may have given the impression that somehow man is the ultimate triumph of evolution, that all these millions of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/this-last-chapter-may-have-given-the-impression-that-somehow-man-is/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [To suggest that God specifically created a worm to torture small African children is blasphemy as far as I can see. The Archbishop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/to-suggest-that-god-specifically-created-a-worm-to-torture-small/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [In the Baboon community, it is not how strong you are that is important, but who you know that counts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/in-the-baboon-community-it-is-not-how-strong-you-are-that-is/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) [Explore all 168 David Attenborough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's like saying that two and two equals four, but if you wish to believe it, it could also be five ... 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