20th century Quote by Lewis Thomas
“The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th century science has been the discovery of human ignorance”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas, 1974
Science reveals how much we still do not know, highlighting humility in knowledge.
In simple terms: Science shows our ignorance.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility in learning.
Themes
humility
science
knowledge
progress
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- research
- education
- policy making
- public discourse
Key Concepts
epistemology
scientific method
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing ignorance change scientific inquiry?
- What role does humility play in innovation?
A Different Perspective
Ignorance can be overstated; not all unknowns are harmful.
![“The greatest achievements in the science of this [twentieth] century are themselves the sources of more puzzlement than human beings have ever experienced. Indeed, it is likely that the twentieth century will be looked back at as the time when science provided the first close glimpse of the…” quote by Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f5/lewis-thomas-2299_accounts_the-greatest-achievements-in-the-science_2406887.jpg)
