Customer Quote by Lee Spetner
““Life is so diversified that to any statement I could make about living organisms there are exceptions. Because of the many exceptions, I should qualify everything I say with hedging phrases such as 'generally,' 'usually,' and 'almost always' But I'm afraid the constant repetition of these hedges will slow me down and bore you. So let's make a pact now that I forego the hedging phrases and you are to understand that almost all my statements may have rare exceptions.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Scientific Language, Lee Spetner, date unknown
The speaker argues that biological statements are full of exceptions, so qualifiers like “generally” are needed, but overuse can be tedious, so they propose dropping hedges while acknowledging rare exceptions.
In simple terms: Biology is messy; qualifiers help, but can be overused.
Key Takeaway
Use precise language but note possible exceptions.
Themes
science
communication
uncertainty
precision
biology
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
cautious
Type
explanatory
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- research papers
- lecture notes
- public talks
- educational videos
Key Concepts
probabilistic reasoning
exception handling
scientific humility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance clarity with accuracy?
- When is it acceptable to omit qualifiers?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on hedges may obscure confidence; dropping them may mislead without context.
