---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among the lesser effects of quantum…"
description: "\"Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping holes in old ideas about causality.\" — Ian Hacking"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg"
---

#  Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping…

![“Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping holes in old ideas about causality.” quote by Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg)

> “Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping holes in old ideas about causality.”

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Quantum theory challenges traditional causality, exposing gaps in classical cause‑effect thinking.

**In simple terms:** Quantum theory reveals gaps in old cause‑effect ideas.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about cause and effect.

Themes

science philosophy causality quantum mechanics

Mood

curious thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

- research
- education
- philosophical debate
- policy making

Key Concepts

epistemology ontological uncertainty

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this affect everyday scientific explanations?
- Can we reconcile quantum indeterminacy with daily causality?

A Different Perspective

Classical models still useful in many practical contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Causality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causality/) [Effects Quantum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects-quantum-339322/) [Gaping Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaping-holes-339321/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Causality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-causality-339320/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Quantum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum/) [Quantum theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum-theory/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Theory Gaping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-gaping-339319/)

## Related quotes

> [I have tried to read philosophers of all ages and have found many illuminating ideas but no steady progress toward deeper knowledge and understanding.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-born/i-have-tried-to-read-philosophers-of-all-ages-and-have-found-many/)

[Max Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-born/)

> [It is true that in quantum theory we cannot rely on strict causality. But by repeating the experiments many times, we can finally derive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/it-is-true-that-in-quantum-theory-we-cannot-rely-on-strict-causality/)

[Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/)

> [The very nature of the quantum theory ... forces us to regard the space-time coordination and the claim of causality, the union of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niels-bohr/the-very-nature-of-the-quantum-theory-forces-us-to-regard-the-space/)

[Niels Bohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niels-bohr/)

> [“My heart, always so strong in the past, was like the fishnet stockings that clung to my legs—torn, shredded, and full of gaping holes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-stevens/my-heart-always-so-strong-in-the-past-was-like-the-fishnet-stockings/)

[E.J. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-stevens/)

> [So I have the classic amateur's technique; I know some very tricky bits and I have large gaping holes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bruford/so-i-have-the-classic-amateur-s-technique-i-know-some-very-tricky/)

[Bill Bruford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bruford/)

> [Drilling gaping holes into the crust of the earth with fallible equipment in order to summon forth millions of gallons of hydrocarbons is difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cord-jefferson/drilling-gaping-holes-into-the-crust-of-the-earth-with-fallible/)

[Cord Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cord-jefferson/)

> [“And no power on earth could tell whether their blankly indifferent eyes were shutters protecting hidden treasures at the bottom of shafts no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/and-no-power-on-earth-could-tell-whether-their-blankly-indifferent/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [I cannot conceive of a personal God who would directly influence the actions of individuals, or would directly sit in judgment on creatures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-personal-god-who-would-directly-influence-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Narrative stories are nothing but models of karma and causality - how one thing leads to another. And a lot of narrative fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-row/narrative-stories-are-nothing-but-models-of-karma-and-causality-how/)

[Jess Row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-row/)

> [“Conspiracy theory, like causality, works fantastically well as an explanatory model but only if you use it backwards. The fact that we cannot predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/conspiracy-theory-like-causality-works-fantastically-well-as-an/)

[Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/)

> [Science is all about cause. Now, if really everything is connected to everything, if there really is only a oneness, everything then affects everything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-harman/science-is-all-about-cause-now-if-really-everything-is-connected-to/)

[Willis Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-harman/)

> [“Maybe I'm wrong; I might not believe in fate but I do believe in causality and who's to say fate isn't just a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/maybe-i-m-wrong-i-might-not-believe-in-fate-but-i-do-believe-in/)

[Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/)

> [So the ideology was that: use sounds as instruments, as sounds on tape, without the causality. It was no longer a clarinet or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-ferrari/so-the-ideology-was-that-use-sounds-as-instruments-as-sounds-on-tape/)

[Luc Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-ferrari/)

> [God's is the causality at the level of our being, and therefore the roots of our freedom. Ours in causality is determinative of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/god-s-is-the-causality-at-the-level-of-our-being-and-therefore-the/)

[Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/)

> [Time, space, and causality are only metaphors of knowledge, with which we explain things to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/time-space-and-causality-are-only-metaphors-of-knowledge-with-which/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

## More by Ian Hacking

> [The best reaction to a paradox is to invent a genuinely new and deep idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/the-best-reaction-to-a-paradox-is-to-invent-a-genuinely-new-and-deep/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [One of the things Kuhn said about normal science is that people 'expect' things to be discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/one-of-the-things-kuhn-said-about-normal-science-is-that-people/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [Probability fractions arise from our knowledge and from our ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/probability-fractions-arise-from-our-knowledge-and-from-our-ignorance/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [One ought to begin an analysis of power from the ground up, at the level of tiny local events where battles are unwittingly enacted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/one-ought-to-begin-an-analysis-of-power-from-the-ground-up-at-the/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [It is possible to argue that our present conception of revolution was staked out more securely in science than in political action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/it-is-possible-to-argue-that-our-present-conception-of-revolution-was/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [Why should there be the method of science? There is not just one way to build a house, or even to grow tomatoes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/why-should-there-be-the-method-of-science-there-is-not-just-one-way/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [Opinion is the companion of probability within the medieval epistemology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/opinion-is-the-companion-of-probability-within-the-medieval/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [Risk analysis can cater to any sort of hazard, but their profession owes its existence to a relatively narrow band of possible dangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/risk-analysis-can-cater-to-any-sort-of-hazard-but-their-profession/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [It is so hard to make important decisions that we have a great urge to reduce them to rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/it-is-so-hard-to-make-important-decisions-that-we-have-a-great-urge/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [In each case you settle on an act. Doing nothing at all counts as an act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/in-each-case-you-settle-on-an-act-doing-nothing-at-all-counts-as-an/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [I think it's unfortunate when people say that there is just one true story of science. For one thing, there are many different sciences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/i-think-it-s-unfortunate-when-people-say-that-there-is-just-one-true/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [As a political metaphor, a revolution could, in that sense, mean only a return to better times, or to the true constitution: a ridding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/as-a-political-metaphor-a-revolution-could-in-that-sense-mean-only-a/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [“Labels such as ‘‘the culture wars,’’ ‘‘the science wars,’’ or ‘‘the Freud wars’’ are now widely used to refer to some of the disagreements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/labels-such-as-the-culture-wars-the-science-wars-or-the-freud-wars/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [There are two ways in which a science develops; in response to problems which is itself creates, and in response to problems that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/there-are-two-ways-in-which-a-science-develops-in-response-to/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

> [From any vocabulary of ideas we can build other ideas by formal combinations of signs. But not any set of ideas will be instructive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/from-any-vocabulary-of-ideas-we-can-build-other-ideas-by-formal/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

[Explore all 75 Ian Hacking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [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/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping holes in old ideas about causality.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ian Hacking"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theory-are-gaping-holes-in-old/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theory-are-gaping-holes-in-old/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/ian-hacking-9085_about_among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theo_1626239.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Among the lesser effects of quantum theory are gaping holes in old ideas about causality.” — Ian Hacking",
                "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": "Ian Hacking",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Among the lesser effects of quantum...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theory-are-gaping-holes-in-old/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/among-the-lesser-effects-of-quantum-theory-are-gaping-holes-in-old/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
