---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science, its imperfections…"
description: "\"“Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword in the stone that humanity finally pulled. The question it poses, of universal and orderly ma..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg"
---

#  Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword…

![“Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword in the stone that humanity finally pulled. The question it poses, of universal and orderly materialism, is the most important that can be asked in philosophy and religion.” quote by Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg)

> ““Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword in the stone that humanity finally pulled. The question it poses, of universal and orderly materialism, is the most important that can be asked in philosophy and religion.””

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Science is portrayed as a powerful tool that can unlock humanity’s deepest questions, despite its flaws, linking materialism to philosophical and religious inquiry.

**In simple terms:** Science is a strong tool for big questions.

Key Takeaway

Use science to explore fundamental questions.

Themes

knowledge philosophy religion science

Mood

curious thoughtful

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- academic research
- public policy debates
- ethical discussions
- education curricula

Key Concepts

materialism epistemology ontology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does science address meaning?
- Can materialism coexist with faith?

A Different Perspective

Science’s limits may overlook subjective experience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Asked Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-philosophy-1519784/) [Materialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism/) [Materialism Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism-important-6075341/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Orderly Materialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orderly-materialism-6075342/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-and-religion/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Imperfections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-imperfections-6075343/) [Sword In The Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword-in-the-stone-224990/)

## Related quotes

> [Someone asked me once what my philosophy of life was, and I said some crazy thing. I should have said, how the hell do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-hudson/someone-asked-me-once-what-my-philosophy-of-life-was-and-i-said-some/)

[Rock Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-hudson/)

> [“St. Galgano was a 12th-century saint who renounced his past as a knight to become a hermit. Lacking a cross to display, he created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-steves/st-galgano-was-a-12th-century-saint-who-renounced-his-past-as-a/)

[Rick Steves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-steves/)

> [“I suppose it could be said that indeed all my roads to Arthur have led to my novel, The Green Knight’s Apprentice. I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-chandler/i-suppose-it-could-be-said-that-indeed-all-my-roads-to-arthur-have/)

[Virginia Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-chandler/)

> [“As a consequence of Wittgenstein’s philosophy, the questions once asked by philosophy have now passed into the realms of poetry. The way poetry is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-strathern/as-a-consequence-of-wittgenstein-s-philosophy-the-questions-once/)

[Paul Strathern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-strathern/)

> [“Don't listen to me. Advice so rarely finds its inteded audience. It's like the sword in the stone — you leave it there, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/don-t-listen-to-me-advice-so-rarely-finds-its-inteded-audience-it-s/)

[Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/)

> [If asked my philosophy, it would be simply this: Savor life, don't press too hard, don't worry too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-weintraub/if-asked-my-philosophy-it-would-be-simply-this-savor-life-don-t-press/)

[Jerry Weintraub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-weintraub/)

> [“To explore and affiliate with life is a deep and complicated process in mental development. To an extent still undervalued in philosophy and religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/to-explore-and-affiliate-with-life-is-a-deep-and-complicated-process/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [For good people to do evil things, it takes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/for-good-people-to-do-evil-things-it-takes-religion/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [I had wished to find in philosophy and religion a remedy for my disgrace; I searched out an asylum to secure me from love...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/i-had-wished-to-find-in-philosophy-and-religion-a-remedy-for-my/)

[Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/)

> [Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/man-is-a-religious-animal-he-is-the-only-religious-animal-he-is-the/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [until it had been clearly explained that men were always and always partly wrong in all their ideas, life would be full of poison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-richardson/until-it-had-been-clearly-explained-that-men-were-always-and-always/)

[Dorothy Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-richardson/)

> [ I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world and do not find in our particular superstition \[Christianity\] one redeeming feature. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-recently-been-examining-all-the-known-superstitions-of-the/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Science, philosophy and religion are bound to converge as they draw nearer to the whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/science-philosophy-and-religion-are-bound-to-converge-as-they-draw/)

[Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/)

> [When we begin to look around us, to observe individuals and societies, and to study philosophies and religions, we realize that our loneliness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/when-we-begin-to-look-around-us-to-observe-individuals-and-societies/)

[Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

## More by Edward O. Wilson

> [“Nature is the birthright of everyone on Earth. The millions of species we have allowed to survive are our phylogenetic kin. Their long-term history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/nature-is-the-birthright-of-everyone-on-earth-the-millions-of-species/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as by the growing awareness that beliefs are really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been-eroded-not-so-much-by/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [ “\[E\]very major religion today is a winner in the Darwinian struggle waged among cultures, and none ever flourished by tolerating its rivals.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/e-very-major-religion-today-is-a-winner-in-the-darwinian-struggle/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Overall, it seems now possible to draw a reasonably good explanation of why the human condition is a singularity, why the likes of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/overall-it-seems-now-possible-to-draw-a-reasonably-good-explanation/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“let’s also promote the humanities, that which makes us human, and not use science to mess around with the wellspring of this, the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/let-s-also-promote-the-humanities-that-which-makes-us-human-and-not/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Moreover, we look in vain to philosophy for the answer to the great riddle. Despite its noble purpose and history, pure philosophy long ago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/moreover-we-look-in-vain-to-philosophy-for-the-answer-to-the-great/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Annie Dillard was a pioneer in her Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1974. Among other notable examples are David…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/annie-dillard-was-a-pioneer-in-her-pilgrim-at-tinker-creek-which-won/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“The creation myth is a Darwinian device for survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/the-creation-myth-is-a-darwinian-device-for-survival/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Human beings and their social orders are intrinsically imperfectible and fortunately so. In a constantly changing world, we need the flexibility that only imperfection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/human-beings-and-their-social-orders-are-intrinsically-imperfectible/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Another principle that I believe can be justified by scientific evidence so far is that nobody is going to emigrate from this planet not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/another-principle-that-i-believe-can-be-justified-by-scientific/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“To explore and affiliate with life is a deep and complicated process in mental development. To an extent still undervalued in philosophy and religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/to-explore-and-affiliate-with-life-is-a-deep-and-complicated-process/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Social intelligence was therefore always at a high premium. A sharp sense of empathy can make a huge difference, and with it in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/social-intelligence-was-therefore-always-at-a-high-premium-a-sharp/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Somewhere close I knew spear-nosed bats flew through the tree crowns in search of fruit, palm vipers coiled in ambush in the roots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/somewhere-close-i-knew-spear-nosed-bats-flew-through-the-tree-crowns/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Meat yields higher energy per gram eaten than does vegetation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/meat-yields-higher-energy-per-gram-eaten-than-does-vegetation/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

> [“Dawkins is an eloquent science journalist. What else is he? I mean journalism is a high and influential profession. But he’s not a scientist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/dawkins-is-an-eloquent-science-journalist-what-else-is-he-i-mean/)

[Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

[Explore all 56 Edward O. Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/)

## More Materialism quotes

> [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/)

[Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/)

> [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/)

[Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/)

> [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [“Science must not degenerate into applied materialistic philosophy. But this is exactly what it does at the hands of today's alchemists, namely, the materialistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/science-must-not-degenerate-into-applied-materialistic-philosophy-but/)

[William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/)

> [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [No one has ever laughed at a pun who did not see in the one word a twofold meaning. To materialists this world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/no-one-has-ever-laughed-at-a-pun-who-did-not-see-in-the-one-word-a/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [ If we do want to do that \[ colonise space to survive, \], then vacuous materialism is not going to be enough for us. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/if-we-do-want-to-do-that-colonise-space-to-survive-then-vacuous/)

[Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/)

> [I have all but killed myself for Photography. My passion for it is greater than ever. It's forty years that I have fought its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/i-have-all-but-killed-myself-for-photography-my-passion-for-it-is/)

[Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/)

> [“Don't envy what people have, emulate what they did to have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/don-t-envy-what-people-have-emulate-what-they-did-to-have-it/)

[Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/)

> [ “\[Materialism\] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-simple-state-of-matter-and/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“The problem with people today, is, they have religions but they have no spirituality. They go to church but they cannot even manage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/the-problem-with-people-today-is-they-have-religions-but-they-have-no/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

> [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

[Browse all 862 Materialism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword in the stone that humanity finally pulled. The question it poses, of universal and orderly materialism, is the most important that can be asked in philosophy and religion.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edward O. Wilson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/science-its-imperfections-notwithstanding-is-the-sword-in-the-stone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Materialism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/science-its-imperfections-notwithstanding-is-the-sword-in-the-stone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/edward-o-wilson-12084_nature-of-man_science-its-imperfections-notwithstandin_1598771.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the sword in the stone that humanity finally pulled. The…” — Edward O. Wilson",
                "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": "Edward O. Wilson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Science, its imperfections notwithstanding, is the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/science-its-imperfections-notwithstanding-is-the-sword-in-the-stone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/science-its-imperfections-notwithstanding-is-the-sword-in-the-stone/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
