Men Quote by Francis Bacon
“The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Essays, Moral and Political, 1625
Superstition arises from noticing successes but ignoring failures, leading to false beliefs.
In simple terms: People notice hits, ignore misses, creating superstition.
Key Takeaway
Pay attention to both successes and failures.
Themes
superstition
perception
belief
critical thinking
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- personal decision making
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
confirmation bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How might you track missed opportunities?
- What evidence challenges your assumptions?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on hits can still reinforce false patterns.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)