--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So far from being an isolated phenomenon…" description: "\"So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from the progress of sc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-b-s-haldane-10480_disruptive_so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon_773598.jpg" --- # So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is… ![“So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from the progress of science.” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-b-s-haldane-10480_disruptive_so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon_773598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-b-s-haldane-10480_disruptive_so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon_773598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-b-s-haldane-10480_disruptive_so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon_773598.jpg) > “So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from the progress of science.” [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. Scientific progress often brings disruptive, unforeseen consequences, as seen in wartime developments. **In simple terms:** Science can cause unexpected disruption. Key Takeaway Anticipate and mitigate negative impacts of innovation. Themes science disruption responsibility Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical policy‑oriented When to use this quote - policy making - research planning - public communication - risk assessment Key Concepts ethics of technology unintended consequences Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance innovation with safety? - What safeguards are needed for emerging technologies? A Different Perspective Predicting all outcomes is impossible, but precaution is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“I am a survivor. But I am not unique of the people that survived the great late war. We all have our stories to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/i-am-a-survivor-but-i-am-not-unique-of-the-people-that-survived-the/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [We slow the progress of science today for all sorts of ethical reasons. Biomedicine could advance much faster if we abolished our rules on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nitze/we-slow-the-progress-of-science-today-for-all-sorts-of-ethical/) [Paul Nitze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nitze/) > [We live in this world in order always to learn industriously and to enlighten each other by means of discussion and to strive vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/we-live-in-this-world-in-order-always-to-learn-industriously-and-to/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [We are not to expect perfection in this world; but mankind, in modern times, have apparently made some progress in the science of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/we-are-not-to-expect-perfection-in-this-world-but-mankind-in-modern/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [What I do is very theoretical. It won't necessarily have implications for anything anyone is doing tomorrow, yet you know that there's a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/what-i-do-is-very-theoretical-it-won-t-necessarily-have-implications/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [Those who are really convinced that they have made progress in science would not demand freedom for the new views to continue side by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/those-who-are-really-convinced-that-they-have-made-progress-in/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [Mass application of technological innovations, which constitutes much of the distinctive substance of modern economic growth, is closely connected with the further progress of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kuznets/mass-application-of-technological-innovations-which-constitutes-much/) [Simon Kuznets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kuznets/) > [“Do not forget that when the heart petrifies there is no progress. All science must be like a fruit, so ordered that it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/do-not-forget-that-when-the-heart-petrifies-there-is-no-progress-all/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [How do you know that the incessant progress of science will not compel scientists to consider that life has existed during eternity, and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-pasteur/how-do-you-know-that-the-incessant-progress-of-science-will-not/) [Louis Pasteur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-pasteur/) > [The progress of science is much more muddled than is depicted in most history books. This is especially true of theoretical physics, partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/the-progress-of-science-is-much-more-muddled-than-is-depicted-in-most/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [It surely can be no offence to state, that the progress of science has led to new views, and that the consequences that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-surely-can-be-no-offence-to-state-that-the-progress-of-science-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...the progress of science depends much less upon either theoretical considerations or systematic investigation than is commonly believed, but rather on the transmittal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/the-progress-of-science-depends-much-less-upon-either-theoretical/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [I like greenery, nature, I don't like littering the streets. The progress of science and technology comes at a cost and I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-like-greenery-nature-i-don-t-like-littering-the-streets-the/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) > [But weightier still are the contentment which comes from work well done, the sense of the value of science for its own sake, insatiable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-joseph-henderson/but-weightier-still-are-the-contentment-which-comes-from-work-well/) [Lawrence Joseph Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-joseph-henderson/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) ## 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/) > [I have tried to show why I believe that the biologist is the most romantic figure on earth at the present day. At first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/i-have-tried-to-show-why-i-believe-that-the-biologist-is-the-most/) [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 Disruptive quotes > [“Identifying disruptive footholds means connecting with specific jobs that people—your future customers—are trying to get done in their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/identifying-disruptive-footholds-means-connecting-with-specific-jobs/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [The mechanical loom and the calculator have shown us that technology is both disruptive and filled with opportunities. But it would be hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/the-mechanical-loom-and-the-calculator-have-shown-us-that-technology/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [What are you going to do when you are not saving the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zimmer/what-are-you-going-to-do-when-you-are-not-saving-the-world/) [Hans Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zimmer/) > [“disruptive technology should be framed as a marketing challenge, not a technological one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/disruptive-technology-should-be-framed-as-a-marketing-challenge-not-a/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/protest-beyond-the-law-is-not-a-departure-from-democracy-it-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Most of us who work as professional futurists never really stop gathering information - you never know when a provocative, potentially disruptive new development…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/most-of-us-who-work-as-professional-futurists-never-really-stop/) [Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/) > [Cultural institutions by and large share one primary objective: herd control. Even when ostensibly benign, their propensity for manipulation, compartmentalization, standardization and suppression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/cultural-institutions-by-and-large-share-one-primary-objective-herd/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The mistake that makes launching a venture expensive is when you try to make a disruptive technology so good that it can compete on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/the-mistake-that-makes-launching-a-venture-expensive-is-when-you-try/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [As I have often said, acceptance of the idea of shared mobility is going to be one of the major disruptive trends in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-mahindra/as-i-have-often-said-acceptance-of-the-idea-of-shared-mobility-is/) [Anand Mahindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-mahindra/) > [Human nature being what it is, peace must inevitably be a relative condition. The essence of life is struggle and competition, and to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-perez-de-cuellar/human-nature-being-what-it-is-peace-must-inevitably-be-a-relative/) [Javier Perez de Cuellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-perez-de-cuellar/) > [For an emerging market that hopes to be the third largest economy in the world, you cannot do it without being innovative and disruptive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-screwvala/for-an-emerging-market-that-hopes-to-be-the-third-largest-economy-in/) [Ronnie Screwvala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-screwvala/) > [A body without bones would be a limp impossible mess, so a day without steady routine would be disruptive and chaotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/a-body-without-bones-would-be-a-limp-impossible-mess-so-a-day-without/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [Art is a high calling - fears are coincidental. Coincidental, sneaky and disruptive, we might add, disguising themselves variously as laziness, resistance to deadlines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/art-is-a-high-calling-fears-are-coincidental-coincidental-sneaky-and/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [At the beginning of almost every industry, the available products and services are so expensive to own and complicated to use that only people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/at-the-beginning-of-almost-every-industry-the-available-products-and/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [The best antidote to the disruptive power of innovation is overregulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/the-best-antidote-to-the-disruptive-power-of-innovation-is/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) Browse all 208 Disruptive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from the progress of science.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John B. 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