Experiments Quote by Jonathan Schooler
““Just because an idea is true doesn't mean it can be proved. And just because an idea can be proved doesn't mean it's true. When the experiments are done, we still have to choose what to believe.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast “The Edge of Reason”, 2022
Ideas may be true yet unprovable, and provable ideas may be false; evidence alone doesn't dictate belief.
In simple terms: Truth and proof are separate; belief requires choice after evidence.
Key Takeaway
Question evidence, then decide what to trust.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
science
belief
decisionmaking
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- research evaluation
- policy making
- personal belief formation
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
truth
proof
belief
uncertainty
scientific method
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle conflicts between evidence and intuition?
- When should belief override lack of proof?
A Different Perspective
Proof cannot resolve all questions; personal bias may affect belief.
![“[It's] troubling because it reminds us how difficult it is to prove anything. We like to pretend that our experiments define the truth for us. But that's often not the case. Just because an idea is true doesn't mean it can be proved. And just because an idea can be proved doesn't mean it's true…” quote by Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8d7/jonah-lehrer-9286_believe_it-s-troubling-because-it-reminds-us-how_2644419.jpg)
