---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yet, the principle of uncertainty is a…"
description: "\"“Yet, the principle of uncertainty is a bad name. In science or outside of it, we are not uncertain. Our knowledge is merely confined within a certain ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/jacob-bronowski-3073_doubt_yet-the-principle-of-uncertainty-is-a-ba_2551152.jpg"
---

#  Yet, the principle of uncertainty is a bad name. In…

![“Yet, the principle of uncertainty is a bad name. In science or outside of it, we are not uncertain. Our knowledge is merely confined within a certain tolerance. We should call it the principle of tolerance. First in the engineering sense. Science has progressed, step by step, the most successful…” quote by Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/jacob-bronowski-3073_doubt_yet-the-principle-of-uncertainty-is-a-ba_2551152.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/jacob-bronowski-3073_doubt_yet-the-principle-of-uncertainty-is-a-ba_2551152.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/jacob-bronowski-3073_doubt_yet-the-principle-of-uncertainty-is-a-ba_2551152.jpg)

> ““Yet, the principle of uncertainty is a bad name. In science or outside of it, we are not uncertain. Our knowledge is merely confined within a certain tolerance. We should call it the principle of tolerance. First in the engineering sense. Science has progressed, step by step, the most successful enterprise in the ascent of man, because it has understood that the exchange of information between man and nature, and man and man, can only take place with a certain tolerance. But I also use the word, passionately, about the real world. All knowledge, all information, between human beings, can only be exchanged within a play of tolerance, and that's whether it's in science, or in literature, or in religion, or in politics, or in any form of though that aspires to dogma.””

[Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/)

## About This Quote

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

Science and human interaction succeed when we accept limited precision and allow flexibility, rather than claiming absolute certainty.

**In simple terms:** Accept limited precision and be flexible.

Key Takeaway

Embrace tolerance in knowledge exchange.

Themes

science communication philosophy

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- research collaboration
- interpersonal dialogue
- policy negotiation
- artistic critique
- religious discourse

Key Concepts

uncertainty tolerance information exchange

Questions to Reflect On

- How does tolerance improve collaboration?
- When might strict standards be necessary?

A Different Perspective

Tolerance may be misused to justify vague standards.

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