--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all have an unscientific weakness for…" description: "\"“We all have an unscientific weakness for being always in the right, and this weakness seems to be particularly common among professional and amateur p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/karl-popper-2167_blaming-others_we-all-have-an-unscientific-weakness-for_1008385.jpg" --- # We all have an unscientific weakness for being always in… ![“We all have an unscientific weakness for being always in the right, and this weakness seems to be particularly common among professional and amateur politicians. But the only way to apply something like scientific method in politics is to proceed on the assumption that there can be no political…” quote by Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/karl-popper-2167_blaming-others_we-all-have-an-unscientific-weakness-for_1008385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/karl-popper-2167_blaming-others_we-all-have-an-unscientific-weakness-for_1008385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c8/karl-popper-2167_blaming-others_we-all-have-an-unscientific-weakness-for_1008385.jpg) > ““We all have an unscientific weakness for being always in the right, and this weakness seems to be particularly common among professional and amateur politicians. But the only way to apply something like scientific method in politics is to proceed on the assumption that there can be no political move which has no drawbacks, no undesirable consequences. To look out for these mistakes, to find them, to bring them into the open, to analyse them, and to learn from them, this is what a scientific politician as well as a political scientist must do. Scientific method in politics means that the great art of convincing ourselves that we have not made any mistakes, of ignoring them, of hiding them, and of blaming others from them, is replaced by the greater art of accepting the responsibility for them, of trying to learn from them, and of applying this knowledge so that we may avoid them in future.”” [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political decisions must be examined critically, acknowledging flaws and learning from them rather than denying errors. **In simple terms:** Politics needs honest error‑checking. Key Takeaway Accept and learn from mistakes. Themes politics science ethics accountability decisionmaking Mood reflective critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy formulation - campaign strategy - legislative drafting - public debate Key Concepts Scientific method critical thinking responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance caution with necessary boldness? - What mechanisms ensure honest error reporting? A Different Perspective Assuming all moves have drawbacks can stall decisive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blaming others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blaming-others/) [Method Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method-politics-2174215/) [Openness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/openness/) [Political Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-scientist-247499/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-method/) [Scientific Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-politician-2174216/) [Unscientific Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unscientific-weakness-2174217/) ## Related quotes > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [The contemporary political scientist believes that he can avoid the necessity of moral judgments and that he can help frame public policy without committing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-contemporary-political-scientist-believes-that-he-can-avoid-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [I was trained as a political scientist and the profession bores me, to be frank. 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One very prominent political scientist, in his standard text American Politics 20 years ago, observes that "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-familiar-to-mainstream-academic-scholarship-one-very-prominent/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm a political scientist and I study these things, and I know that economic problems, with the rising unemployment and inflation and low productivity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-kirkpatrick/i-m-a-political-scientist-and-i-study-these-things-and-i-know-that/) [Jeane Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-kirkpatrick/) > [ \[The aim of science is\] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so-far-has-taken-to-be-an/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [The method of science depends on our attempts to describe the world with simple theories: theories that are complex may become untestable, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-method-of-science-depends-on-our-attempts-to-describe-the-world/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [It is the rule which says that the other rules of scientific procedure must be designed in such a way that they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/it-is-the-rule-which-says-that-the-other-rules-of-scientific/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [A system such as classical mechanics may be 'scientific' to any degree you like; but those who uphold it dogmatically - believing, perhaps, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may-be-scientific-to-any-degree/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Would you like yourself, if you met yourself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/would-you-like-yourself-if-you-met-yourself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [If you listen to the political discourse in America today, you would think that all our problems have been caused by the Mexicans of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/if-you-listen-to-the-political-discourse-in-america-today-you-would/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“What follow are the most common types of negative self-talk with the keys to taking control of them and turning them around: 1.  Turn I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-bradberry/what-follow-are-the-most-common-types-of-negative-self-talk-with-the/) [Travis Bradberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-bradberry/) ## More by Karl Popper > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“As indicated by our example, methodological nominalism is nowadays fairly generally accepted in the natural sciences. The problems of the social sciences, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/as-indicated-by-our-example-methodological-nominalism-is-nowadays/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Science is perhaps the only human activity in which errors are systematically criticized and, in time, corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-perhaps-the-only-human-activity-in-which-errors-are/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/bold-ideas-unjustified-anticipations-and-speculative-thought-are-our/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [ \[The aim of science is\] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so-far-has-taken-to-be-an/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There can be no ultimate statements science: there can be no statements in science which can not be tested, and therefore none which cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-can-be-no-ultimate-statements-science-there-can-be-no/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Evolution is not a fact. Evolution doesn't even qualify as a theory or as a hypothesis. It is a metaphysical research program, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/evolution-is-not-a-fact-evolution-doesn-t-even-qualify-as-a-theory-or/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [I am opposed to looking upon logic as a kind of game. ... One might think that it is a matter of choice or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/i-am-opposed-to-looking-upon-logic-as-a-kind-of-game-one-might-think/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [The history of science, like the history of all human ideas, is a history of irresponsible dreams, of obstinacy, and of error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-history-of-science-like-the-history-of-all-human-ideas-is-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-is-no-pure-disinterested-theory-free-observation/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate even them whenever we can do so without running a great risk;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-have-the-right-not-to-tolerate-the-intolerant-we-should-tolerate/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Better our hypotheses die for our errors than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/better-our-hypotheses-die-for-our-errors-than-ourselves/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Every time we proceed to explain some conjectural law or theory by a new conjectural theory of a higher degree of universality, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/every-time-we-proceed-to-explain-some-conjectural-law-or-theory-by-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Explore all 181 Karl Popper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) ## More Blaming others quotes > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“Would you like yourself, if you met yourself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/would-you-like-yourself-if-you-met-yourself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [If you listen to the political discourse in America today, you would think that all our problems have been caused by the Mexicans of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/if-you-listen-to-the-political-discourse-in-america-today-you-would/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“What follow are the most common types of negative self-talk with the keys to taking control of them and turning them around: 1.  Turn I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-bradberry/what-follow-are-the-most-common-types-of-negative-self-talk-with-the/) [Travis Bradberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-bradberry/) > [Blaming others is nothing more than excusing yourself..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/blaming-others-is-nothing-more-than-excusing-yourself/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [The day you stop blaming others for reasons why you did something and messed up will be the day you start REALLY living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-day-you-stop-blaming-others-for-reasons-why-you-did-something-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Here is the sweet paradox in how God works. He blesses those who admit that they need help: The poor in spirit are blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-powlison/here-is-the-sweet-paradox-in-how-god-works-he-blesses-those-who-admit/) [David A. Powlison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-powlison/) > [Part of being a man is learning to take responsibility for your successes and for your failures. You can't go blaming others or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bacon/part-of-being-a-man-is-learning-to-take-responsibility-for-your/) [Kevin Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bacon/) > [You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it is about you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-may-succeed-in-making-another-feel-guilty-about-something-by/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“Stop blaming others, its a fact that the real meaning of blaming others is actually blaming yourself !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manos-abou-chabke/stop-blaming-others-its-a-fact-that-the-real-meaning-of-blaming/) [Manos Abou Chabke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manos-abou-chabke/) > [By blaming others, we fail to find the real solutions to our problems and we do not carry out our own responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/by-blaming-others-we-fail-to-find-the-real-solutions-to-our-problems/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-you-plant-lettuce-if-it-does-not-grow-well-you-don-t-blame-the/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“Blaming others doesn’t help you make the shift into courage and recognizing the support of Spirit and your own soul working together. Blaming yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colette-baron-reid/blaming-others-doesn-t-help-you-make-the-shift-into-courage-and/) [Colette Baron Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colette-baron-reid/) [Browse all 116 Blaming others quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blaming-others/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We all have an unscientific weakness for being always in the right, and this weakness seems to be particularly common among professional and amateur politicians. 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