--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All we know about the world teaches us…" description: "\"All we know about the world teaches us that the effects of A and B are always different-in some decimal place-for any A and B. Thus asking \"are the eff..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/john-tukey-29915_asking_all-we-know-about-the-world-teaches-us-t_1042380.jpg" --- # All we know about the world teaches us that the effects of… ![“All we know about the world teaches us that the effects of A and B are always different-in some decimal place-for any A and B. Thus asking "are the effects different?" is foolish.” quote by John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/john-tukey-29915_asking_all-we-know-about-the-world-teaches-us-t_1042380.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/john-tukey-29915_asking_all-we-know-about-the-world-teaches-us-t_1042380.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/john-tukey-29915_asking_all-we-know-about-the-world-teaches-us-t_1042380.jpg) > “All we know about the world teaches us that the effects of A and B are always different-in some decimal place-for any A and B. Thus asking "are the effects different?" is foolish.” [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Statistical measurements always differ by tiny amounts; questioning if they differ is meaningless. **In simple terms:** All measurements differ slightly; asking if they differ is pointless. Key Takeaway Accept minor variations as inherent. Themes statistics measurement precision Mood analytical objective Type scientific technical When to use this quote - scientific research - data reporting - quality control Key Concepts error analysis significance testing Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when a difference matters? - When should you ignore negligible variations? A Different Perspective Differences may be practically irrelevant despite statistical significance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decimals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decimals/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [This is a massive world, I think, and in each centimeter of it, a different drama unfolds every second of the day. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahbod-seraji/this-is-a-massive-world-i-think-and-in-each-centimeter-of-it-a/) [Mahbod Seraji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahbod-seraji/) > [You can't compare the effect of multimedia-tasking and the effect of playing action games. They have totally different effects on different aspects of cognition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-bavelier/you-can-t-compare-the-effect-of-multimedia-tasking-and-the-effect-of/) [Daphne Bavelier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-bavelier/) > [Depression effects all of us in different ways, people even kill themselves, but why? You gain no satisfaction and you ruin people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-leto/depression-effects-all-of-us-in-different-ways-people-even-kill/) [Shannon Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-leto/) > [The combination of some data and an aching desire for an answer does not ensure that a reasonable answer can be extracted from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/the-combination-of-some-data-and-an-aching-desire-for-an-answer-does/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [The best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone's backyard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/the-best-thing-about-being-a-statistician-is-that-you-get-to-play-in/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [I always say when you see that old black-and-white footage of the rocket on the launch pad and it falls over and explodes, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/i-always-say-when-you-see-that-old-black-and-white-footage-of-the/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [Science may be weird and incomprehensible--more weird and less comprehensible than any theology--but science works. It gets results. It can fly you to Saturn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/science-may-be-weird-and-incomprehensible-more-weird-and-less/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Ten decimal places of π are sufficient to give the circumference of the earth to a fraction of an inch, and thirty decimal places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-newcomb/ten-decimal-places-of-are-sufficient-to-give-the-circumference-of-the/) [Simon Newcomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-newcomb/) > [Imagism was a reductio ad absurdum of one or two tendencies of romanticism, such a beautifully and finally absurd one that it is hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/imagism-was-a-reductio-ad-absurdum-of-one-or-two-tendencies-of/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [I continued to do arithmetic with my father, passing proudly through fractions to decimals. I eventually arrived at the point where so many cows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-continued-to-do-arithmetic-with-my-father-passing-proudly-through/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [The standard model gives us an accuracy of ten decimal digits, this is an amazing success that has never been achieved before in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-seiberg/the-standard-model-gives-us-an-accuracy-of-ten-decimal-digits-this-is/) [Nathan Seiberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-seiberg/) > [It is a misfortune for a science to be born too late when the means of observation have become too perfect. That is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/it-is-a-misfortune-for-a-science-to-be-born-too-late-when-the-means/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [I suppose I can live with missing decimals, missing floors to tall buildings, and floors that are named instead of numbered. A more serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-suppose-i-can-live-with-missing-decimals-missing-floors-to-tall/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Im special with decimals. I'm tryna get my point across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiddy-bang/im-special-with-decimals-i-m-tryna-get-my-point-across/) Chiddy Bang > [Counting in octal is just likst counting in decimal--if you don't use your thumbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/counting-in-octal-is-just-likst-counting-in-decimal-if-you-don-t-use/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) ## More by John Tukey > [When communicating results to non-technical types there is nothing better than a clear visualization to make your point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/when-communicating-results-to-non-technical-types-there-is-nothing/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [Be approximately right rather than exactly wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/be-approximately-right-rather-than-exactly-wrong/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [In a single sentence the moral is: admit that complexity always increases, first from the model you fit to the data, thence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/in-a-single-sentence-the-moral-is-admit-that-complexity-always/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [The combination of some data and an aching desire for an answer does not ensure that a reasonable answer can be extracted from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/the-combination-of-some-data-and-an-aching-desire-for-an-answer-does/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [I know of no person or group that is taking nearly adequate advantage of the graphical potentialities of the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/i-know-of-no-person-or-group-that-is-taking-nearly-adequate-advantage/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [The best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone's backyard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/the-best-thing-about-being-a-statistician-is-that-you-get-to-play-in/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [Visualization is often used for evil - twisting insignificant data changes and making them look meaningful. Don't do that crap if you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/visualization-is-often-used-for-evil-twisting-insignificant-data/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [It's better to solve the right problem approximately than to solve the wrong problem exactly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/it-s-better-to-solve-the-right-problem-approximately-than-to-solve/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [One of my favorite ways to easily review results is Google Analytics Dashboards. Don't have dashboards set up? I can help you set one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/one-of-my-favorite-ways-to-easily-review-results-is-google-analytics/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [There is no data that can be displayed in a pie chart, that cannot be displayed BETTER in some other type of chart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/there-is-no-data-that-can-be-displayed-in-a-pie-chart-that-cannot-be/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [Far better an approximate answer to the right question, which is often vague, than the exact answer to the wrong question, which can always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/far-better-an-approximate-answer-to-the-right-question-which-is-often/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [If we are going to make a mark (key 21), it might as well be a meaningful one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/if-we-are-going-to-make-a-mark-key-21-it-might-as-well-be-a/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [To be able to say that "if we change our point of view in the following way ... things are simpler" is always a gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/to-be-able-to-say-that-if-we-change-our-point-of-view-in-the/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [Numerical quantities focus on expected values, graphical summaries on unexpected values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/numerical-quantities-focus-on-expected-values-graphical-summaries-on/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [This is my favorite part about analytics: Taking boring flat data and bringing it to life through visualization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/this-is-my-favorite-part-about-analytics-taking-boring-flat-data-and/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) [Explore all 18 John Tukey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) ## More Asking quotes > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [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/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All we know about the world teaches us that the effects of A and B are always different-in some decimal place-for any A and B. 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