Being wrong Quote by Isaac Asimov
“It is not so much that I have confidence in scientists being right, but that I have so much in nonscientists being wrong.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Science and Society, Isaac Asimov, 1970
Confidence in experts is less important than recognizing errors made by those lacking expertise.
In simple terms: Beware trusting non‑experts more than experts.
Key Takeaway
Question expertise critically.
Themes
science
expertise
critical thinking
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
cautionary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- public policy
- education
- media consumption
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
epistemology
bias
knowledge validation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify claims from any source?
- When should you trust expert consensus?
A Different Perspective
Non‑experts can also be correct; expertise isn’t infallible.
![“The poor ignorant fellah [Arabic for peasant] does not worry about politics, but when he is told repeatedly by people in whom he has confidence that his livelihood is in danger of being taken away from him by us, he becomes our mortal enemy. . . The Arab is primitive and believes what he is told.” quote by Chaim Weizmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/75c/chaim-weizmann-27625_believe_the-poor-ignorant-fellah-arabic-for-peas_74345.jpg)
