--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There can sometimes be this fear among…" description: "\"There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't understand everything in science perfectly, so I just can't say anything about it.' I think ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png" --- # There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't… ![“There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't understand everything in science perfectly, so I just can't say anything about it.' I think it's good to know that we scientists are also confused some of the time.” quote by Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png) > “There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't understand everything in science perfectly, so I just can't say anything about it.' I think it's good to know that we scientists are also confused some of the time.” [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists admit uncertainty, encouraging laypeople to share ideas despite not fully grasping every detail of science. **In simple terms:** Scientists are also confused, so it’s okay to speak up. Key Takeaway Share thoughts even when not fully certain. Themes humility communication public engagement Mood encouraging open reflective Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - science outreach - education - policy discussion - community forums Key Concepts scientific uncertainty layperson dialogue knowledge sharing Questions to Reflect On - What can you contribute despite incomplete knowledge? - How does acknowledging uncertainty build trust? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can mislead; humility is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We all know scientists who in private life do not come up to the standard of truthfulness, but who, nevertheless, would not consciously falsify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-boas/we-all-know-scientists-who-in-private-life-do-not-come-up-to-the/) [Franz Boas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-boas/) > [Some of the most fun people I know are scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/some-of-the-most-fun-people-i-know-are-scientists/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Y'know scientists are funny. We probe and measure and dissect. Invent lights without heat, weigh a caterpillar's eyebrow. But whenit comes to really important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-berkeley/y-know-scientists-are-funny-we-probe-and-measure-and-dissect-invent/) Martin Berkeley > [Philosophers are people who know less and less about more and more, until they know nothing about everything. Scientists are people who know more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/philosophers-are-people-who-know-less-and-less-about-more-and-more/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [You don't need a science degree to understand about science. You just need to think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/you-don-t-need-a-science-degree-to-understand-about-science-you-just/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“The conflicts between science and religion still remain in this day and age, because though most people understand what science means, they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-conflicts-between-science-and-religion-still-remain-in-this-day/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't think that science is complete at all. We don't understand everything, and one can see, within science itself, there are many inconsistencies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-townes/i-don-t-think-that-science-is-complete-at-all-we-don-t-understand/) [Charles H. Townes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-townes/) > [One of the great problems of the world today is undoubtedly this problem of not being able to talk to scientists, because we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flanders/one-of-the-great-problems-of-the-world-today-is-undoubtedly-this/) [Michael Flanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flanders/) > [To understand a science it is necessary to know its history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-comte/to-understand-a-science-it-is-necessary-to-know-its-history/) [Auguste Comte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-comte/) > [“Magic is doing something the other guy can’t do. We haven’t learned how to do it yet, so it’s magic. When we learn how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-l-chalker/magic-is-doing-something-the-other-guy-can-t-do-we-haven-t-learned/) [Jack L. Chalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-l-chalker/) > [You can't really be scientifically literate if you don't understand evolution. And you can't be an educated member of society if you don't understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenie-scott/you-can-t-really-be-scientifically-literate-if-you-don-t-understand/) [Eugenie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenie-scott/) > [Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/before-we-understand-science-it-is-natural-to-believe-that-god/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I think you have to be left-brained, to a certain extent, to understand science. I can talk about it, but I can't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-think-you-have-to-be-left-brained-to-a-certain-extent-to-understand/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [“Magic is what you call something you don’t understand. This is science, dear. Nothing magic about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bertauski/magic-is-what-you-call-something-you-don-t-understand-this-is-science/) Tony Bertauski > [If you want to understand science, you have to understand math. In business, if you're enumerate, you're going to be a klutz. The good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-to-understand-science-you-have-to-understand-math-in/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## More by Lisa Randall > [When you're reaching out to people beyond the scientific community, image does matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/when-you-re-reaching-out-to-people-beyond-the-scientific-community/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [Creativity is essential to particle physics, cosmology, and to mathematics, and to other fields of science, just as it is to its more widely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/creativity-is-essential-to-particle-physics-cosmology-and-to/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [Physicists have yet to understand why the Higgs boson's mass is what it is,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/physicists-have-yet-to-understand-why-the-higgs-boson-s-mass-is-what/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [If such external influences are intrinsic to religion, then logic and scientific thought dictate that there must be a mechanism by which this influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/if-such-external-influences-are-intrinsic-to-religion-then-logic-and/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [There is real confusion about what it means to be right and wrong - the difference between what spiritual beliefs are and what science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-is-real-confusion-about-what-it-means-to-be-right-and-wrong-the/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [When I was in school I liked math because all the problems had answers. Everything else seemed very subjective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/when-i-was-in-school-i-liked-math-because-all-the-problems-had/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [What makes me different as a scientist is that I'm kind of imaginative. The ideas just happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/what-makes-me-different-as-a-scientist-is-that-i-m-kind-of/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [There could be more to the universe than the three dimensions we are familiar with. They are hidden from us in some way, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-could-be-more-to-the-universe-than-the-three-dimensions-we-are/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [There are many aspects of time we just do not understand. That’s the thing about writing a popular book: You realize the things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-are-many-aspects-of-time-we-just-do-not-understand-that-s-the/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [We should figure out how to do this so that some parents don't feel disenfranchised, angry and upset. It says a lot about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/we-should-figure-out-how-to-do-this-so-that-some-parents-don-t-feel/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [I did not set out to explain the extinction of the dinosaurs. I'm a particle physicist, and I was actually thinking about dark matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/i-did-not-set-out-to-explain-the-extinction-of-the-dinosaurs-i-m-a/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [I think simplicity is a good guide: The more economical a theory, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/i-think-simplicity-is-a-good-guide-the-more-economical-a-theory-the/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [Speculation and the exploration of ideas beyond what we know with certainty are what lead to progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/speculation-and-the-exploration-of-ideas-beyond-what-we-know-with/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [Physics has entered a remarkable era. Ideas that were once the realm of science fiction are now entering our theoretical — and maybe even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/physics-has-entered-a-remarkable-era-ideas-that-were-once-the-realm/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [You have to be careful when you use beauty as a guide. There are many theories people didn't think were beautiful at the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/you-have-to-be-careful-when-you-use-beauty-as-a-guide-there-are-many/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) [Explore all 92 Lisa Randall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't understand everything in science perfectly, so I just can't say anything about it.' I think it's good to know that we scientists are also confused some of the time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa Randall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-laypeople-i-don-t-understand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-laypeople-i-don-t-understand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/lisa-randall-7318_about_there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-l_2555255.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There can sometimes be this fear among laypeople: 'I don't understand everything in science perfectly, so I…” — Lisa Randall", "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": "Lisa Randall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There can sometimes be this fear...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-laypeople-i-don-t-understand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/there-can-sometimes-be-this-fear-among-laypeople-i-don-t-understand/#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 } } ] } ```