--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All I ever promised was that I was sure I…" description: "\"All I ever promised was that I was sure I could develop a new pharmacological agent which might answer a physiological question. Any utility would be i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/james-w-black-49553_answer_all-i-ever-promised-was-that-i-was-sure_1375928.jpg" --- # All I ever promised was that I was sure I could develop a… ![“All I ever promised was that I was sure I could develop a new pharmacological agent which might answer a physiological question. Any utility would be implicit in that answer.” quote by James W. Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/james-w-black-49553_answer_all-i-ever-promised-was-that-i-was-sure_1375928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/james-w-black-49553_answer_all-i-ever-promised-was-that-i-was-sure_1375928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/546/james-w-black-49553_answer_all-i-ever-promised-was-that-i-was-sure_1375928.jpg) > “All I ever promised was that I was sure I could develop a new pharmacological agent which might answer a physiological question. Any utility would be implicit in that answer.” [James W. Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He pledged to create a drug that would answer a biological question, with any benefit being a byproduct. **In simple terms:** He aimed to solve a scientific problem, hoping a drug would follow. Key Takeaway Focus on solving the core problem first. Themes science research innovation Mood inquisitive determined Type scientific inspirational When to use this quote - drug development - basic research - clinical trials Key Concepts pharmacology problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What fundamental question drives your work? - How do you balance curiosity with practical outcomes? A Different Perspective Success depends on rigorous testing and validation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agent Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agent-answer-4752293/) [Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New Pharmacological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-pharmacological-4752290/) [Pharmacological Agent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pharmacological-agent-4752292/) [Promised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised/) [Promised Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised-sure-4752291/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) ## Related quotes > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [Well, we promised our fans that we'd put out records faster, and that's what we're doing. We figured out a way to condense our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/well-we-promised-our-fans-that-we-d-put-out-records-faster-and-that-s/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [We have to know that nothing is promised, nothing is guaranteed, especially tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-pagano/we-have-to-know-that-nothing-is-promised-nothing-is-guaranteed/) [Chuck Pagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-pagano/) > [I promised myself: Before your 18th birthday, you're going to be at Jean Paul Gaultier. And it worked. I was hired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/i-promised-myself-before-your-18th-birthday-you-re-going-to-be-at/) [Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/) > [I had some connections from the newspapers that I did work with up there, so there was a newspaper publisher in Hollywood, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-davis/i-had-some-connections-from-the-newspapers-that-i-did-work-with-up/) [Marc Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-davis/) > [Sometimes I wonder what makes you keep running back to me, but when I take you back, you keep hurting me. You have promised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-wonder-what-makes-you-keep-running-back-to-me-but-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God promised to make you free. He never promised to make you independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/god-promised-to-make-you-free-he-never-promised-to-make-you/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [I have a bad history with resolutions! I don't think I have kept up even one of them so far. Once, I promised to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nivin-pauly/i-have-a-bad-history-with-resolutions-i-don-t-think-i-have-kept-up/) [Nivin Pauly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nivin-pauly/) > [“All of the things that you promised me that you'd be, now your hands are tired. 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"He was foolish to promise such things,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-wylie/he-promised-he-d-never-leave-me-that-we-d-be-friends-forever-he-was/) [Jen Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-wylie/) > [“She promised me I wasn’t the product of my yesterdays, and knew I was destined for amazing tomorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittainy-c-cherry/she-promised-me-i-wasn-t-the-product-of-my-yesterdays-and-knew-i-was/) [Brittainy C. Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittainy-c-cherry/) > [“What He has chosen not to reveal to me is inconsequential when compared to what He has promised me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-smith/what-he-has-chosen-not-to-reveal-to-me-is-inconsequential-when/) [Angie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-smith/) > [Over the years I've learned how to lock myself up in a prison of hope, knowing that God has nothing but His best planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/over-the-years-i-ve-learned-how-to-lock-myself-up-in-a-prison-of-hope/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) ## More by James W. Black > [The Wellcome Foundation offered me the chance to establish a small academic research unit, modestly funded, but with total independence. The real opportunity, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-black/the-wellcome-foundation-offered-me-the-chance-to-establish-a-small/) [James W. Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-black/) > [I had found myself a new mission - and once more my recurring dilemma between corporate commercial needs and personal scientific ambitions was solved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-black/i-had-found-myself-a-new-mission-and-once-more-my-recurring-dilemma/) [James W. Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-black/) > [In teaching, I wanted to offer a general pharmacology course based on chemical principles, biochemical classification and mathematical modelling. In the event I achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-black/in-teaching-i-wanted-to-offer-a-general-pharmacology-course-based-on/) [James W. 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Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-black/) [Explore all 7 James W. Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-black/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) [Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/) > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. 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But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) [Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All I ever promised was that I was sure I could develop a new pharmacological agent which might answer a physiological question. Any utility would be implicit in that answer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James W. 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