Believe Quote by Edward Teller
“A fact is a simple statement that everyone believes. It is innocent, unless found guilty. A hypothesis is a novel suggestion that no one wants to believe. It is guilty, until found effective.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Science and Philosophy, Edward Teller, 1965
Facts are accepted statements; hypotheses are untested ideas that face skepticism until proven.
In simple terms: Facts are trusted; hypotheses are doubted.
Key Takeaway
Test hypotheses rigorously.
Themes
science
knowledge
skepticism
methodology
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- research design
- peer review
- policy making
- education curricula
Key Concepts
empiricism
theory_building
critical_thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate new ideas?
- What evidence convinces you to accept a hypothesis?
A Different Perspective
Hypotheses may be dismissed prematurely if not communicated well.
![“The significance of a fact is relative to [the general body of scientific] knowledge. To say that a fact is significant in science, is to say that it helps to establish or refute some general law; for science, though it starts from observation of the particular, is not concerned essentially with…” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57c/bertrand-russell-69_art_the-significance-of-a-fact-is-relative-t_3087077.jpg)
