--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always been slightly suspicious of…" description: "\"I have always been slightly suspicious of the theory of evolution because of its ability to account for any property of living beings (the long neck of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henry-lipson-67301_ability_i-have-always-been-slightly-suspicious-o_1946991.png" --- # I have always been slightly suspicious of the theory of… ![“I have always been slightly suspicious of the theory of evolution because of its ability to account for any property of living beings (the long neck of the giraffe, for example). I have therefore tried to see whether biological discoveries over the last thirty years or so fit in with Darwin's…” quote by Henry Lipson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henry-lipson-67301_ability_i-have-always-been-slightly-suspicious-o_1946991.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henry-lipson-67301_ability_i-have-always-been-slightly-suspicious-o_1946991.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henry-lipson-67301_ability_i-have-always-been-slightly-suspicious-o_1946991.png) > “I have always been slightly suspicious of the theory of evolution because of its ability to account for any property of living beings (the long neck of the giraffe, for example). I have therefore tried to see whether biological discoveries over the last thirty years or so fit in with Darwin's theory. I do not think that they do. To my mind, the theory does not stand up at all.” Henry Lipson ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts evolution’s explanatory power, believing it can fit any observation and thus lacks predictive strength. **In simple terms:** Evolution is seen as unfalsifiable and weak. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and seek testable predictions. Themes science skepticism theory biology Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - academic debate - science education - public policy - media discussion Key Concepts falsifiability predictive power methodology Questions to Reflect On - How does a theory become scientific? - What evidence would falsify evolution? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify evolutionary evidence and ignore extensive supporting data. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Suspicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicious/) [Theory of evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-of-evolution/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/to-be-sure-darwin-s-theory-of-evolution-is-imperfect-however-the-fact/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Darwin's theory of evolution is a framework by which we understand the diversity of life on Earth. But there is no equation sitting there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/darwin-s-theory-of-evolution-is-a-framework-by-which-we-understand/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ To my mind, the theory of \[evolution\] does not stand up at all. If living matter is not, then, caused by the interplay of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lipson/to-my-mind-the-theory-of-evolution-does-not-stand-up-at-all-if-living/) Henry Lipson > [But when you are embodied in a location, in a physical plant, in a set of people, and in a common history, that constrains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/but-when-you-are-embodied-in-a-location-in-a-physical-plant-in-a-set/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Aristotle especially, both by speculation and observation... reached something like the modern idea of a succession of higher organizations from lower, and made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/aristotle-especially-both-by-speculation-and-observation-reached/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [ Today, almost half a century after the publication of the Encyclical \[of Pius IX\], new knowledge has led to the recognition in the theory… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/today-almost-half-a-century-after-the-publication-of-the-encyclical/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“So now you should be able to see what happened when the theory of evolution came along. The Gospel had been wide spread in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-w-allison/so-now-you-should-be-able-to-see-what-happened-when-the-theory-of/) [Calvin W. Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-w-allison/) > [A curious aspect of the theory of evolution is that everybody thinks he understands it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/a-curious-aspect-of-the-theory-of-evolution-is-that-everybody-thinks/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [“All disciplines of science are built on the causality of the relationships governing related events. Yet the theory of evolution is built upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-janabi/all-disciplines-of-science-are-built-on-the-causality-of-the/) T.H. Janabi > [The theory of evolution is impossible. At base, in spirit of appearances, no one any longer believes in it... Evolution is a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lemoine/the-theory-of-evolution-is-impossible-at-base-in-spirit-of/) Paul Lemoine > [I think that the theory of evolution is the most unscientific, faith-based, fundamentally brainless idea that ever had the misfortune to come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-think-that-the-theory-of-evolution-is-the-most-unscientific-faith/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [The theory of evolution, like the theory of gravity, is a scientific fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-theory-of-evolution-like-the-theory-of-gravity-is-a-scientific/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Essential to the theory of evolution is the premise that everything has come into being by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lang/essential-to-the-theory-of-evolution-is-the-premise-that-everything/) [Walter Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lang/) > [The theory of evolution is totally inadequate to explain the origin and manifestation of the inorganic world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ambrose-fleming/the-theory-of-evolution-is-totally-inadequate-to-explain-the-origin/) [John Ambrose Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ambrose-fleming/) > [ The theory \[of evolution\] is a scientific mistake. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-agassiz/the-theory-of-evolution-is-a-scientific-mistake/) [Louis Agassiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-agassiz/) ## More by Henry Lipson > [ To my mind, the theory of \[evolution\] does not stand up at all. If living matter is not, then, caused by the interplay of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lipson/to-my-mind-the-theory-of-evolution-does-not-stand-up-at-all-if-living/) Henry Lipson > [Darwin's book, On the Origin of Species, was published in 1859. It is perhaps the most influential book that has ever been published, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lipson/darwin-s-book-on-the-origin-of-species-was-published-in-1859-it-is/) Henry Lipson > [In fact, evolution became in a sense a scientific religion; almost all scientists have accepted it and many are prepared to "bend" their observations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lipson/in-fact-evolution-became-in-a-sense-a-scientific-religion-almost-all/) Henry Lipson Explore all 4 Henry Lipson quotes ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. 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