--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To find out what happens to a system when…" description: "\"To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it).\" — George E. P. Box" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg" --- # To find out what happens to a system when you interfere… ![“To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it).” quote by George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg) > “To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it).” [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a system requires active intervention, not passive observation, to reveal causal relationships. **In simple terms:** To learn, you must act on the system. Key Takeaway Experiment to discover truth. Themes science methodology causality Mood inquisitive analytical Type educational practical When to use this quote - laboratory research - policy testing - product development Key Concepts experiment intervention Questions to Reflect On - What ethical limits exist for experimental intervention? - How can we safely test complex systems? A Different Perspective Active interference may cause unintended side effects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Happens Interfere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens-interfere-3151312/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Interfere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interfere/) [Interfere Interfere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interfere-interfere-3151313/) [Interfere Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interfere-just-3151315/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Passively Observe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passively-observe-3151314/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Thus with most careful devotion Thus with precise attention To detail, interfering preparation Of that which is already prepared Men lighten the knot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/thus-with-most-careful-devotion-thus-with-precise-attention-to-detail/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [your morse code interferes with my heart beat. I had a steady heart before you, I replied upon it, it had seen active service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/your-morse-code-interferes-with-my-heart-beat-i-had-a-steady-heart/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [We thought the church had withdrawn from interfering in Italian politics... but instead there is a terrible resurgence. These are ugly signs for freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-fo/we-thought-the-church-had-withdrawn-from-interfering-in-italian/) [Dario Fo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-fo/) > [It is the individual's task to differentiate himself from all the others and stand on his own feet. All collective identities . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/it-is-the-individual-s-task-to-differentiate-himself-from-all-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [There are those who say that trees shade the garden too much, and interfere with the growth of the vegetables. There may be something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/there-are-those-who-say-that-trees-shade-the-garden-too-much-and/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [I refuse to buy from anybody anything however nice or beautiful if it interferes with my growth or injures those whom Nature has made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-refuse-to-buy-from-anybody-anything-however-nice-or-beautiful-if-it/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Sometimes it is best for men not to attempt to interfere with destiny. Our prayers can be answered in ways which we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/sometimes-it-is-best-for-men-not-to-attempt-to-interfere-with-destiny/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [People's opinions don't interfere with me. Ageing gracefully is supposed to mean trying not to hide time passing and just looking a wreck. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/people-s-opinions-don-t-interfere-with-me-ageing-gracefully-is/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Emotional Literacy means being able to recognise what you are feeling, so that it doesn't interfere with thinking. It becomes another dimension to draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-orbach/emotional-literacy-means-being-able-to-recognise-what-you-are-feeling/) [Susie Orbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-orbach/) > [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The voice of the natural world would be, "Could you please give us space and leave us alone to get along with our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/the-voice-of-the-natural-world-would-be-could-you-please-give-us/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [As long as the state permits itself to interfere in the affairs of literature, literature has the right to interfere with the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/as-long-as-the-state-permits-itself-to-interfere-in-the-affairs-of/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by George E. P. Box > [The only way to know how a complex system will behave-after you modify it-is to modify it and see how it behaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/the-only-way-to-know-how-a-complex-system-will-behave-after-you/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [For the theory-practice iteration to work, the scientist must be, as it were, mentally ambidextrous; fascinated equally on the one hand by possible meanings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/for-the-theory-practice-iteration-to-work-the-scientist-must-be-as-it/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Statisticians, like artists, have the bad habit of falling in love with their models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/statisticians-like-artists-have-the-bad-habit-of-falling-in-love-with/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [The benefits provided by worker participation are twofold. Quality is improved because of the finding and fixing of a very large number of problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/the-benefits-provided-by-worker-participation-are-twofold-quality-is/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [The old-fashioned idea of a good manager is one who is supposed to know all the answers, can solve every problem himself, and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/the-old-fashioned-idea-of-a-good-manager-is-one-who-is-supposed-to/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Just as the ability to devise simple but evocative models is the signature of the great scientist so overelaboration and overparameterization is often the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/just-as-the-ability-to-devise-simple-but-evocative-models-is-the/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [The business of the statistician is to catalyze the scientific learning process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/the-business-of-the-statistician-is-to-catalyze-the-scientific/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [The management system which makes only a pretense of valuing employee involvement and encouraging employee empowerment merely breeds cynicism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/the-management-system-which-makes-only-a-pretense-of-valuing-employee/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Management must provide employees with tools that will enable them to do their jobs better, and with encouragement to use these tools. In particular,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/management-must-provide-employees-with-tools-that-will-enable-them-to/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Discovering the unexpected is more important than confirming the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/discovering-the-unexpected-is-more-important-than-confirming-the-known/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [All models are wrong, but some are useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/all-models-are-wrong-but-some-are-useful/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [...all models are approximations. Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful. However, the approximate nature of the model must always be borne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/all-models-are-approximations-essentially-all-models-are-wrong-but/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/remember-that-all-models-are-wrong-the-practical-question-is-how/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [Statistics is, or should be, about scientific investigation and how to do it better, but many statisticians believe it is a branch of mathematics.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/statistics-is-or-should-be-about-scientific-investigation-and-how-to/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [One important idea is that science is a means whereby learning is achieved, not by mere theoretical speculation on the one hand, nor by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/one-important-idea-is-that-science-is-a-means-whereby-learning-is/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) [Explore all 16 George E. P. Box quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) ## More Happens quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) [Browse all 13,486 Happens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George E. P. Box" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-when-you-interfere-with-it-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-when-you-interfere-with-it-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/george-e-p-box-31383_happens_to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-whe_338390.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just…” — George E. P. Box", "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": "George E. P. Box", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To find out what happens to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-when-you-interfere-with-it-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/to-find-out-what-happens-to-a-system-when-you-interfere-with-it-you/#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 } } ] } ```