--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science moves fastest when there's plenty…" description: "\"Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and controversy.\" — Lee Smolin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png" --- # Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and… ![“Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and controversy.” quote by Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png) > “Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and controversy.” [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) ## 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 thrives on open debate and controversy, driving deeper understanding. **In simple terms:** Debate fuels scientific advancement. Key Takeaway Encourage open scientific discourse. Themes science debate progress Mood inquisitive optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Research labs - Academic conferences - Policy making - Education curricula Key Concepts Philosophy of science Controversy dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can controversy be managed constructively? - What role does peer review play? A Different Perspective Debate can become unproductive if not constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Debate Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate-controversy-4316907/) [Fastest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastest/) [Moves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moves/) [Plenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty/) [Plenty Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty-debate-5829173/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Moves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-moves-619706/) ## Related quotes > [Wit has its place in debate; in controversy it is a legitimate weapon, offensive and defensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/wit-has-its-place-in-debate-in-controversy-it-is-a-legitimate-weapon/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [He moves fastest who moves alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/he-moves-fastest-who-moves-alone/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“While most science moves in a sort of curve, being constantly corrected by new evidence, this science flies off into space in a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/while-most-science-moves-in-a-sort-of-curve-being-constantly/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [It is sad that while science moves ahead in exciting new areas of research, fine-tuning our knowledge of how life originated and evolved, creationists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/it-is-sad-that-while-science-moves-ahead-in-exciting-new-areas-of/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [In science, the best precept is to alter and exchange our ideas as fast as science moves ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/in-science-the-best-precept-is-to-alter-and-exchange-our-ideas-as/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Science moves, but slowly, slowly, creeping on from point to point. ... Yet I doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/science-moves-but-slowly-slowly-creeping-on-from-point-to-point-yet-i/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Science moves, but slowly, slowly, creeping on from point to point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/science-moves-but-slowly-slowly-creeping-on-from-point-to-point/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Science moves with the spirit of an adventure characterized both by youthful arrogance and by the belief that the truth, once found, would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-watson/science-moves-with-the-spirit-of-an-adventure-characterized-both-by/) [James D. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-watson/) > [When I was growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, I was always the fastest kid around - in pickup games, in school, wherever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-rock-hill-south-carolina-i-was-always-the/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [I'm way better in person than I am on things like Twitter. I know Twitter is the best and fastest way to connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-scherzinger/i-m-way-better-in-person-than-i-am-on-things-like-twitter-i-know/) [Nicole Scherzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-scherzinger/) > [I doubt I'm the fastest player in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/i-doubt-i-m-the-fastest-player-in-the-world/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [Not the fastest always win the race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/not-the-fastest-always-win-the-race/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [Showing up fully exactly where you are is the fastest way to get where you want to go!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/showing-up-fully-exactly-where-you-are-is-the-fastest-way-to-get/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [In tennis, you strike a ball just after the rebound for the fastest return. It's the same with investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/in-tennis-you-strike-a-ball-just-after-the-rebound-for-the-fastest/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [I'll see you next week and I promise we are going to have the fastest turtle in the history of turtles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/i-ll-see-you-next-week-and-i-promise-we-are-going-to-have-the-fastest/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) ## More by Lee Smolin > [“This unification of forces and motion has a simple consequence. In a particle theory, you can freely add all kinds of forces, so there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/this-unification-of-forces-and-motion-has-a-simple-consequence-in-a/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“One field Faraday studied was the electric field. This is not a number but a vector, which we may visualize as an arrow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/one-field-faraday-studied-was-the-electric-field-this-is-not-a-number/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“It is interesting to note that the quantum-mechanical revolution was made by a virtually orphaned generation of scientists. Many members of the generation above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-the-quantum-mechanical-revolution-was/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“In fact, the particle-antiparticle annihilation and the closing of the string is necessary, if the theory is to be consistent with relativity, meaning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/in-fact-the-particle-antiparticle-annihilation-and-the-closing-of-the/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [Every string theory that's been written down says the speed of light is universal. But other ideas about quantum gravity predict the speed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/every-string-theory-that-s-been-written-down-says-the-speed-of-light/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“Unfortunately, no one has ever successfully postulated a super-symmetry holding between two known particles. Instead, in all the supersymmetric theories the numbers of particles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/unfortunately-no-one-has-ever-successfully-postulated-a-super/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [Those who do good science do so because they choose problems that are suited to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/those-who-do-good-science-do-so-because-they-choose-problems-that-are/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“Here's a simplified version of what the Stanford group did. They started with a much-studied kind of string theory-a flat four-dimensional spacetime with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/here-s-a-simplified-version-of-what-the-stanford-group-did-they/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“The current crisis in particle physics springs from the fact that the theories have gone beyond the standard model in the last thirty years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/the-current-crisis-in-particle-physics-springs-from-the-fact-that-the/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“By the time I began my study of physics in the early 1970s, the idea of unifying gravity with the other forces was as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/by-the-time-i-began-my-study-of-physics-in-the-early-1970s-the-idea/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“These two discoveries, of relativity and of the quantum, each required us to break definitively with Newtonian physics. However, in spite of great progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/these-two-discoveries-of-relativity-and-of-the-quantum-each-required/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“So the challenge for any quantum theory of gravity is to give us a deeper understanding of Bekenstein's entropy and Hawking's temperature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/so-the-challenge-for-any-quantum-theory-of-gravity-is-to-give-us-a/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“Problem 1: Combine general relativity and quantum theory into a single theory that can claim to be the complete theory of nature. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/problem-1-combine-general-relativity-and-quantum-theory-into-a-single/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“The loop approach to quantum gravity is now a thriving field of research. Many of the older ideas, such as supergravity and the study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/the-loop-approach-to-quantum-gravity-is-now-a-thriving-field-of/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [“During the life of a black hole, it will pull in huge amounts of matter, carrying huge amounts of intrinsic information. At the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/during-the-life-of-a-black-hole-it-will-pull-in-huge-amounts-of/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) [Explore all 114 Lee Smolin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) ## More Controversy quotes > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [My pride is the length of time I have worked in the industry without any major controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/my-pride-is-the-length-of-time-i-have-worked-in-the-industry-without/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [Controversy equalizes fools and wise men in the same way - and the fools know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/controversy-equalizes-fools-and-wise-men-in-the-same-way-and-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/) > [Some people want to have controversy between the races.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/some-people-want-to-have-controversy-between-the-races/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [Controversy for the sake of controversy is sin. Controversy for the sake of truth is a divine command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-martin/controversy-for-the-sake-of-controversy-is-sin-controversy-for-the/) [Walter Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-martin/) > [Sometimes as a player you do not want to get into a controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourav-ganguly/sometimes-as-a-player-you-do-not-want-to-get-into-a-controversy/) [Sourav Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourav-ganguly/) > [Science does not enter a chaotic society to put order into it anymore, to simplify its composition, and to put an end to controversies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-latour/science-does-not-enter-a-chaotic-society-to-put-order-into-it-anymore/) [Bruno Latour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-latour/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [My stress on the truth in sexual stereotypes and on the biologic basis of sex differences is sure to cause controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/my-stress-on-the-truth-in-sexual-stereotypes-and-on-the-biologic/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Controversy sells, politics sell, all that type of stuff sells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/controversy-sells-politics-sell-all-that-type-of-stuff-sells/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [Please don't think that I got married on TV for publicity. I already enjoyed a huge fan following, courtesy my character in Bidaai.' Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/please-don-t-think-that-i-got-married-on-tv-for-publicity-i-already/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [There's a lot of controversy online, some people say i'm a genius and other say i'm hugely talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kindler/there-s-a-lot-of-controversy-online-some-people-say-i-m-a-genius-and/) [Andy Kindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kindler/) > [Gossip is never fatal until it is denied. Gossip goes on about every human being alive and about all the dead that are alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/gossip-is-never-fatal-until-it-is-denied-gossip-goes-on-about-every/) [Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/) > [I think controversy is an interesting thing in that it usually goes hand in hand with starting conversations that surround taboo or under-discussed topics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/i-think-controversy-is-an-interesting-thing-in-that-it-usually-goes/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) [Browse all 604 Controversy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and controversy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Smolin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plenty-of-debate-and-controversy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Controversy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plenty-of-debate-and-controversy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/lee-smolin-4171_controversy_science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plent_3181243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Science moves fastest when there's plenty of debate and controversy.” — Lee Smolin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lee Smolin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Science moves fastest when there's plenty...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plenty-of-debate-and-controversy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/science-moves-fastest-when-there-s-plenty-of-debate-and-controversy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```