Employed Quote by Isaac Newton
![“The best and safest way of philosophising seems to be, first to enquire diligently into the properties of things, and to establish those properties by experiences [experiments] and then to proceed slowly to hypotheses for the explanation of them. For hypotheses should be employed only in…” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/943/isaac-newton-1226_employed_the-best-and-safest-way-of-philosophisin_2816749.jpg)
“The best and safest way of philosophising seems to be, first to enquire diligently into the properties of things, and to establish those properties by experiences [experiments] and then to proceed slowly to hypotheses for the explanation of them. For hypotheses should be employed only in explaining the properties of things, but not assumed in determining them; unless so far as they may furnish experiments.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Opticks, 1704
Philosophical method: start with empirical observation, then form hypotheses only for explanation, not determination.
In simple terms: Base knowledge on experiments, then hypothesize.
Key Takeaway
Observe first, hypothesize later.
Themes
science
methodology
philosophy
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
scientific
educational
When to use this quote
- laboratory research
- scientific inquiry
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
empiricism
hypothesis formation
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance observation and theory?
- When should hypotheses be introduced?
A Different Perspective
Hypotheses can bias observation if not careful.
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![“I am ashamed to tell you to how many figures I carried these calculations [of Pi], having no other business at the time” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/93f/isaac-newton-1226_ashamed_i-am-ashamed-to-tell-you-to-how-many-fig_106544.jpg)
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