--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Scientific theories are tested every time…" description: "\"“Scientific theories are tested every time someone makes an observation or conducts an experiment, so it is misleading to think of science as an edific..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/massimo-pigliucci-18479_science_scientific-theories-are-tested-every-tim_2880436.png" --- # Scientific theories are tested every time someone makes an… ![“Scientific theories are tested every time someone makes an observation or conducts an experiment, so it is misleading to think of science as an edifice, built on foundations. Rather, scientific knowledge is more like a web. The difference couldn’t be more crucial. A tall edifice can collapse – if…” quote by Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/massimo-pigliucci-18479_science_scientific-theories-are-tested-every-tim_2880436.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/massimo-pigliucci-18479_science_scientific-theories-are-tested-every-tim_2880436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/massimo-pigliucci-18479_science_scientific-theories-are-tested-every-tim_2880436.png) > ““Scientific theories are tested every time someone makes an observation or conducts an experiment, so it is misleading to think of science as an edifice, built on foundations. Rather, scientific knowledge is more like a web. The difference couldn’t be more crucial. A tall edifice can collapse – if the foundations upon which it was built turn out to be shaky. But a web can be torn in several parts without causing the collapse of the whole. The damaged threads can be patiently replaced and re-connected with the rest – and the whole web can become stronger, and more intricate.”” [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientific knowledge is a resilient, interconnected web rather than a rigid edifice; it can adapt and strengthen when parts are repaired. **In simple terms:** Science is like a web, not a solid building. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility in learning. Themes science epistemology adaptability Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - research - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts web metaphor knowledge structure Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect scientific criticism? - What are the limits of the web analogy? A Different Perspective A single failure can undermine a rigid structure, but a web tolerates damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-knowledge/) [Scientific theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-theory/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Later scientific theories are better than earlier ones for solving puzzles in the often quite different environments to which they are applied. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kuhn/later-scientific-theories-are-better-than-earlier-ones-for-solving/) [Thomas Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kuhn/) > [Scientific theories need reconstruction every now and then. If they didn't need reconstruction they would be facts, not theories. The more facts we know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/scientific-theories-need-reconstruction-every-now-and-then-if-they/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [People sometimes try to score debating points by saying, Evolution is only a theory. That is correct, but it's important to understand what that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/people-sometimes-try-to-score-debating-points-by-saying-evolution-is/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Scientific theories tell us what is possible; myths tell us what is desirable. Both are needed to guide proper action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-smith/scientific-theories-tell-us-what-is-possible-myths-tell-us-what-is/) [John Maynard Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-smith/) > [Historically speaking all - or very nearly all - scientific theories originate from myths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/historically-speaking-all-or-very-nearly-all-scientific-theories/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [All scientific theories are provisional and may be changed, but ... on the whole, they are accepted from Washington to Moscow because of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevill-francis-mott/all-scientific-theories-are-provisional-and-may-be-changed-but-on-the/) [Nevill Francis Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevill-francis-mott/) > [“Yet the paradox is that scientific methodology is the product of human hands and thus cannot reach some permanent truth. We build scientific theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/yet-the-paradox-is-that-scientific-methodology-is-the-product-of/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [The fact that these scientific theories have a fine track record of successful prediction and explanation speaks for itself. (Which is not to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-kornblith/the-fact-that-these-scientific-theories-have-a-fine-track-record-of/) [Hilary Kornblith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-kornblith/) > [A theory not only explains the world we see, it lets us imagine other worlds, and, even more significantly, lets us act to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/a-theory-not-only-explains-the-world-we-see-it-lets-us-imagine-other/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the rise of science is not that the early scientists searched for natural laws, confident that they existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/perhaps-the-most-remarkable-aspect-of-the-rise-of-science-is-not-that/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [“From this point of view, the laws of science represent data compression in action. A theoretical physicist acts like a very clever coding algorithm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/from-this-point-of-view-the-laws-of-science-represent-data/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [You always have to be worried about something that is considered a so-called 'scientific theory' that fits every scenario. Climate change, as they've defined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-always-have-to-be-worried-about-something-that-is-considered-a-so/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Extreme heroism springs from something that no scientific theory can fully explain; it's an illogical impulse that flies in the face of biology, psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/extreme-heroism-springs-from-something-that-no-scientific-theory-can/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [When you ask why did some particular question occur to a scientist or philosopher for the first time, or why did this particular approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/when-you-ask-why-did-some-particular-question-occur-to-a-scientist-or/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Scientific theory and its application to the growing needs of mankind advance hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cargill-gilston-knott/scientific-theory-and-its-application-to-the-growing-needs-of-mankind/) Cargill Gilston Knott ## More by Massimo Pigliucci > [Death itself is a natural occurrence, it is unavoidable, and the Stoics thought that part of philosophical practice is to get comfortable with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/death-itself-is-a-natural-occurrence-it-is-unavoidable-and-the-stoics/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [If a theory purports to explain everything, then it is likely not explaining much at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/if-a-theory-purports-to-explain-everything-then-it-is-likely-not/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [“The many-worlds theory basically maintains that the reason quantum mechanics seems so strange is because we have access to only one of an infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/the-many-worlds-theory-basically-maintains-that-the-reason-quantum/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [“as astronomer Carl Sagan once aptly put it, you do not want to keep your mind so open that your brain is likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/as-astronomer-carl-sagan-once-aptly-put-it-you-do-not-want-to-keep/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [Given the power and influence that science increasingly has in our daily lives, it is important that we as citizens of an open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/given-the-power-and-influence-that-science-increasingly-has-in-our/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [I believe Stoicism can help anyone who takes it seriously and begins to practice it. 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Ideology tends to linger unchanged, and often unquestioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/science-progresses-ideology-tends-to-linger-unchanged-and-often/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [I don't see any Stoic practice as problematic or risky, but I would advise to engage in extreme versions of the negative visualization exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/i-don-t-see-any-stoic-practice-as-problematic-or-risky-but-i-would/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [The Stoics thought that a fundamental insight into human life is that some things are up to us and others are not, the famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/the-stoics-thought-that-a-fundamental-insight-into-human-life-is-that/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [... it is because one can build a compelling set of arguments - informed by science and thoroughly compatible with it - that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/it-is-because-one-can-build-a-compelling-set-of-arguments-informed-by/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) > [“It is instructive to note that different cultures "discovered" completely different constellations in the sky, a fact that is more consistent with the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/it-is-instructive-to-note-that-different-cultures-discovered/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) [Explore all 34 Massimo Pigliucci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) ## More Science quotes > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [“Galton’s gospel of eugenics found fertile soil in Britain, in the intellectual salons of Europe, and in the United States. Beginning in the early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-loconte/galton-s-gospel-of-eugenics-found-fertile-soil-in-britain-in-the/) Joseph Loconte > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [“Love. Such a sweet, simple word. A word I've been searching for my entire life - but especially since I met Eio - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/love-such-a-sweet-simple-word-a-word-i-ve-been-searching-for-my/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [A vacuum can only exist, I imagine, by the things which enclose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-fitzgerald/a-vacuum-can-only-exist-i-imagine-by-the-things-which-enclose-it/) [Zelda Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-fitzgerald/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) [Browse all 27,477 Science quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Scientific theories are tested every time someone makes an observation or conducts an experiment, so it is misleading to think of science as an edifice, built on foundations. 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