--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will give up my belief in evolution if…" description: "\"I will give up my belief in evolution if someone finds a fossil rabbit in the Precambrian.\" — John B. S. Haldane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/john-b-s-haldane-10480_belief_i-will-give-up-my-belief-in-evolution-if_1714719.jpg" --- # I will give up my belief in evolution if someone finds a… ![“I will give up my belief in evolution if someone finds a fossil rabbit in the Precambrian.” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/john-b-s-haldane-10480_belief_i-will-give-up-my-belief-in-evolution-if_1714719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/john-b-s-haldane-10480_belief_i-will-give-up-my-belief-in-evolution-if_1714719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/john-b-s-haldane-10480_belief_i-will-give-up-my-belief-in-evolution-if_1714719.jpg) > “I will give up my belief in evolution if someone finds a fossil rabbit in the Precambrian.” [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenging scientific claims with impossible evidence undermines rational discourse. **In simple terms:** Impossible evidence disproves nothing. Key Takeaway Demand evidence, not miracles. Themes science skepticism evidence logic Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical argumentative When to use this quote - academic debate - public policy - education - media criticism Key Concepts falsifiability burden of proof Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would truly change your view? - How do we balance open‑mindedness with skepticism? A Different Perspective Extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) ## Related quotes > [Scientific knowledge is in perpetual evolution; it finds itself changed from one day to the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/scientific-knowledge-is-in-perpetual-evolution-it-finds-itself/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [“When challenged by a zealous Popperian to say how evolution could ever be falsified, J. B. S. Haldane famously growled: 'Fossil rabbits in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/when-challenged-by-a-zealous-popperian-to-say-how-evolution-could/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“As J. B. S. Haldane said when asked what evidence might contradict evolution, 'Fossil rabbits in the Precambrian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/as-j-b-s-haldane-said-when-asked-what-evidence-might-contradict/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Every day, hundreds of observations and experiments pour into the hopper of the scientific literature. Many of them don't have much to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/every-day-hundreds-of-observations-and-experiments-pour-into-the/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [“Weber sandstone a billion years old. This rock was Precambrian, I read, a term like postmodern, suggesting that what it names is so mysterious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-paul/weber-sandstone-a-billion-years-old-this-rock-was-precambrian-i-read/) Jim Paul > [“Homo industrialis. We are so industrial (but not so wise) that we are creating a world more like the late Precambrian than the late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ann-gershwin/homo-industrialis-we-are-so-industrial-but-not-so-wise-that-we-are/) Lisa-Ann Gershwin > [Economic theorists should not make such a production about taking a rabbit out of a hat after having put the rabbit into the hat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/economic-theorists-should-not-make-such-a-production-about-taking-a/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [I usually eat four or five raw carrots with my meat, and that is all. I must be part rabbit; I never get bored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-usually-eat-four-or-five-raw-carrots-with-my-meat-and-that-is-all-i/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Rabbits are played. Nowadays it's all about the turtles. Tell them it's a ninja, they'll freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/rabbits-are-played-nowadays-it-s-all-about-the-turtles-tell-them-it-s/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [People look at me like I'm a little strange, when I go around talking to squirrels and rabbits and stuff. That's ok. That's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/people-look-at-me-like-i-m-a-little-strange-when-i-go-around-talking/) [Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/) > [One of the first houses we lived in was like out of a fairy story. We had a stream that ran through our garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/one-of-the-first-houses-we-lived-in-was-like-out-of-a-fairy-story-we/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [If you were to draw Bugs, the easiest way is to learn how to draw a carrot and then hook a rabbit onto it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/if-you-were-to-draw-bugs-the-easiest-way-is-to-learn-how-to-draw-a/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) ## More by John B. S. Haldane > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A discussion between Haldane and a friend began to take a predictable turn. The friend said with a sigh, 'It's no use going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-discussion-between-haldane-and-a-friend-began-to-take-a-predictable/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The extreme socialists desire to run every nation as a single business concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-extreme-socialists-desire-to-run-every-nation-as-a-single/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [To the biologist the problem of socialism appears largely as a problem of size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/to-the-biologist-the-problem-of-socialism-appears-largely-as-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A fairly bright boy is far more intelligent and far better company than the average adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-fairly-bright-boy-is-far-more-intelligent-and-far-better-company/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/capitalism-though-it-may-not-always-give-the-scientific-worker-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-are-400-000-species-of-beetles-on-this-planet-but-only-8-000/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-is-no-great-invention-from-fire-to-flying-which-has-not-been/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Man armed with science is like a baby with a box of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/man-armed-with-science-is-like-a-baby-with-a-box-of-matches/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There can be no truce between science and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-can-be-no-truce-between-science-and-religion/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Science is vastly more stimulating to the imagination than the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/science-is-vastly-more-stimulating-to-the-imagination-than-the/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The future will be no primrose path. It will have its own problems. Some will be the secular problems of the past, giant flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-future-will-be-no-primrose-path-it-will-have-its-own-problems/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. "What inference," asked the latter, "might one draw about the nature of God from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/haldane-was-engaged-in-discussion-with-an-eminent-theologian-what/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon-the-late-war-is-only-an/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) [Explore all 65 John B. S. Haldane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. 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