Ancient Quote by Francis Maitland Balfour
“... the embryological record, as it is usually presented to us, is both imperfect and misleading. It may be compared to an ancient manuscript, with many of the sheets lost, others displaced, and with spurious passages interpolated by a later hand. ... Like the scholar with his manuscript, the embryologist has by a process of careful and critical examination to determine where the gaps are present, to detect the later insertions, and to place in order what has been misplaced.”
About This Quote
Source Scientific Lecture: Embryology, 1905
Embryological data are incomplete and corrupted, like a damaged manuscript.
In simple terms: Embryology is like a broken book.
Key Takeaway
Critically assess scientific evidence.
Themes
science
methodology
history of science
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
educational
scientific
When to use this quote
- research design
- educational teaching
- science communication
Key Concepts
critical analysis
data reconstruction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we improve data reliability?
- What methods reveal hidden gaps?
A Different Perspective
May overstate uncertainty.
![“[I]n the long run it's worthwhile to see the manuscript as a text capable of improvement.” quote by Barbara Sjoholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/331/barbara-sjoholm-94847_editing_i-n-the-long-run-it-s-worthwhile-to-see_282757.jpg)
