--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's kind of ironic that when you look at…" description: "\"It's kind of ironic that when you look at the evidence of intelligence and so on, a lot of it is anecdotal. A lot of it is, \"Well, we saw this dolphin ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/hal-whitehead-26990_anecdotal_it-s-kind-of-ironic-that-when-you-look-a_2336928.jpg" --- # It's kind of ironic that when you look at the evidence of… ![“It's kind of ironic that when you look at the evidence of intelligence and so on, a lot of it is anecdotal. A lot of it is, "Well, we saw this dolphin do this extraordinary thing," or, "We screwed up with our apparatus, and then the dolphins did this." And so it seems to me that the more we can…” quote by Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/hal-whitehead-26990_anecdotal_it-s-kind-of-ironic-that-when-you-look-a_2336928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/hal-whitehead-26990_anecdotal_it-s-kind-of-ironic-that-when-you-look-a_2336928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/hal-whitehead-26990_anecdotal_it-s-kind-of-ironic-that-when-you-look-a_2336928.jpg) > “It's kind of ironic that when you look at the evidence of intelligence and so on, a lot of it is anecdotal. A lot of it is, "Well, we saw this dolphin do this extraordinary thing," or, "We screwed up with our apparatus, and then the dolphins did this." And so it seems to me that the more we can actually watch them doing their thing, the better chance we'll have of making some sense of them.” [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Direct observation of dolphins offers better insight into their intelligence than isolated anecdotes. **In simple terms:** Watching dolphins directly helps understand them. Key Takeaway Prioritize direct observation over anecdotal claims. Themes science observation intelligence Mood analytical inquisitive Type scientific educational When to use this quote - research methods - field studies - education Key Concepts behavioral studies animal cognition Questions to Reflect On - What methods improve animal study accuracy? - How do we avoid bias in observation? A Different Perspective Observations can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anecdotal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotal/) [Apparatus Dolphins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apparatus-dolphins-5642517/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Dolphin Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolphin-extraordinary-5642519/) [Dolphins Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolphins-did-5642518/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Look Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-evidence-2566120/) [Whale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whale/) ## Related quotes > [“A part of me does not want to think that I always knew something was wrong.=. This is probably the same part that didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-jones/a-part-of-me-does-not-want-to-think-that-i-always-knew-something-was/) [Carrie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-jones/) > [Kerry asks Americans to look at the evidence. Bush asks people to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/kerry-asks-americans-to-look-at-the-evidence-bush-asks-people-to/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [“Refusing to look at the evidence, this is also popular.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/refusing-to-look-at-the-evidence-this-is-also-popular/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [There is not a well-funded campaign among scientists to say, "Look, here's the evidence. You can read it yourself. Here are the facts. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/there-is-not-a-well-funded-campaign-among-scientists-to-say-look-here/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [“Where would you even look for evidence of a reality that by your own argument can’t exist?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-beyer/where-would-you-even-look-for-evidence-of-a-reality-that-by-your-own/) [Kirsten Beyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-beyer/) > [“As all this suggests our relationship with evidence is seldom purely a cognitive one. Vilifying menstruating women bolstering anti-Muslim stereotypes murdering innocent citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/as-all-this-suggests-our-relationship-with-evidence-is-seldom-purely/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“he could look at the evidence planted in the universe and from it derive a new concept, and a greater thing than this no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/he-could-look-at-the-evidence-planted-in-the-universe-and-from-it/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“Nothing is more lethal for certain kinds of meme than a tendency to look for evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/nothing-is-more-lethal-for-certain-kinds-of-meme-than-a-tendency-to/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Now, look, I - I like to look at evidence. I plead to that. I think evidence is important when you're making decisions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/now-look-i-i-like-to-look-at-evidence-i-plead-to-that-i-think/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“But it is no use to justify yourself. It is no good to explain. It is weak to be anecdotal. It is wise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-it-is-no-use-to-justify-yourself-it-is-no-good-to-explain-it-is/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“I reason that I can take 36 hours of pretty much anything. This is willfully off-base logic with zero anecdotal evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-reason-that-i-can-take-36-hours-of-pretty-much-anything-this-is/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [A lot of the moments and experiences in 'Warcross' were inspired by specific moments that I remember as an intern working at Disney or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/a-lot-of-the-moments-and-experiences-in-warcross-were-inspired-by/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [There is a cliche that probably has some anecdotal evidence on the side that comedians are very depressed people, but that's because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/there-is-a-cliche-that-probably-has-some-anecdotal-evidence-on-the/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [I, made in England, felt excluded, miffed, resistant to the idea of even visiting India, a position of increasing absurdity as, one by one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/i-made-in-england-felt-excluded-miffed-resistant-to-the-idea-of-even/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [“There's a point where anecdotal evidence becomes truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-s-a-point-where-anecdotal-evidence-becomes-truth/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## More by Hal Whitehead > [Studying the behavior of large whales has been likened to astronomy. The observer glimpses his subjects, often at long range; he cannot do experiments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/studying-the-behavior-of-large-whales-has-been-likened-to-astronomy/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [But one thing that seems pretty clear when we look at human religion is that it's highly tied in with human culture. So if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/but-one-thing-that-seems-pretty-clear-when-we-look-at-human-religion/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [We believe we're seeing, in other animals, a process, or an attribute, that isn't fundamentally different from what we see in humans, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/we-believe-we-re-seeing-in-other-animals-a-process-or-an-attribute/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Whales are cultural animals, and we're cultural animals, so although we shouldn't expect whales to do what we do, it doesn't seem unreasonable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/whales-are-cultural-animals-and-we-re-cultural-animals-so-although-we/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [What I mean by it, and roughly what most biologists who talk about culture mean by it, is either behavior itself, or information that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/what-i-mean-by-it-and-roughly-what-most-biologists-who-talk-about/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Culture is not usually one of the criterion for personhood, but it has been argued that culture is sort of a medium for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/culture-is-not-usually-one-of-the-criterion-for-personhood-but-it-has/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Conversation with animals could happen, but I think it would be easier for it to happen with creatures we share a bit more with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/conversation-with-animals-could-happen-but-i-think-it-would-be-easier/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Religion's pretty pervasive in humans. And why it's pervasive in humans is debated a lot. There are indications of things that look like religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/religion-s-pretty-pervasive-in-humans-and-why-it-s-pervasive-in/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Humans are particularly interesting; our culture is incredible, there's no doubt about that. In many respects, no other species matches ours. But in quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/humans-are-particularly-interesting-our-culture-is-incredible-there-s/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [The real controversy comes with anthropologists - not all, but some - who see themselves as studying culture, and they then see culture from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/the-real-controversy-comes-with-anthropologists-not-all-but-some-who/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [I was very lucky. I was just finishing my PhD at Cambridge in 1981. This opportunity came up because whaling was drawing to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/i-was-very-lucky-i-was-just-finishing-my-phd-at-cambridge-in-1981/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [I don't like to be dismissive of whales speaking possibilities. There is a pretty New Age-y, poorly thought set of ideas about this going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/i-don-t-like-to-be-dismissive-of-whales-speaking-possibilities-there/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [I don't think in biology it's very controversial at all. Whether certain behavior is culture or is not culture is argued. I think virtually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/i-don-t-think-in-biology-it-s-very-controversial-at-all-whether/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [I never thought of that one, that linguistics could be driving cultural things. There are some thoughts that that does happen in humans, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/i-never-thought-of-that-one-that-linguistics-could-be-driving/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) > [Psychologists would say that the only two important forms of social learning are imitation and teaching, and they will spend time trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-whitehead/psychologists-would-say-that-the-only-two-important-forms-of-social/) [Hal Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) [Explore all 21 Hal Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-whitehead/) ## More Anecdotal quotes > [“There's a point where anecdotal evidence becomes truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-s-a-point-where-anecdotal-evidence-becomes-truth/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I, made in England, felt excluded, miffed, resistant to the idea of even visiting India, a position of increasing absurdity as, one by one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/i-made-in-england-felt-excluded-miffed-resistant-to-the-idea-of-even/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [There is a cliche that probably has some anecdotal evidence on the side that comedians are very depressed people, but that's because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/there-is-a-cliche-that-probably-has-some-anecdotal-evidence-on-the/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [A lot of the moments and experiences in 'Warcross' were inspired by specific moments that I remember as an intern working at Disney or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/a-lot-of-the-moments-and-experiences-in-warcross-were-inspired-by/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“I reason that I can take 36 hours of pretty much anything. This is willfully off-base logic with zero anecdotal evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-reason-that-i-can-take-36-hours-of-pretty-much-anything-this-is/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [“But it is no use to justify yourself. It is no good to explain. It is weak to be anecdotal. It is wise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-it-is-no-use-to-justify-yourself-it-is-no-good-to-explain-it-is/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Pure anecdotal statements would not convince others about the actual societal problems and solutions without providing reliable empirical evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saaif-alam/pure-anecdotal-statements-would-not-convince-others-about-the-actual/) [Saaif Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saaif-alam/) > [I had self-doubt about whether my story was interesting to people. I didn't want to write something that was anecdotal. It was important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/i-had-self-doubt-about-whether-my-story-was-interesting-to-people-i/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) > [“Anecdotal Spores: The Crazy Uncle Late one cold and drizzly winter night while I was traveling through the mountains, I stopped in a roadside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hughes/anecdotal-spores-the-crazy-uncle-late-one-cold-and-drizzly-winter/) [Matt Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hughes/) > [Anecdotal data is not incidental to theory development at all, but an essential part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/anecdotal-data-is-not-incidental-to-theory-development-at-all-but-an/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [It is freely admitted that this "testing" is far from ideal and could even be described as anecdotal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gill/it-is-freely-admitted-that-this-testing-is-far-from-ideal-and-could/) [Eric Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gill/) > [Before Twitter or Facebook, all the fandom that I knew about was anecdotal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/before-twitter-or-facebook-all-the-fandom-that-i-knew-about-was/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [Anecdotal thinking comes naturally; science requires training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/anecdotal-thinking-comes-naturally-science-requires-training/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) [Browse all 14 Anecdotal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's kind of ironic that when you look at the evidence of intelligence and so on, a lot of it is anecdotal. 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