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Ignorant Quote by Maupertuis

“One constructs for oneself a satisfactory system only when one is ignorant of the characteristics of the phenomena to be explained.” quote by Maupertuis
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““One constructs for oneself a satisfactory system only when one is ignorant of the characteristics of the phenomena to be explained.””

Maupertuis

About This Quote

Source Philosophical Treatise: Pierre Louis Maupertuis, 1748

A satisfactory system cannot be built without ignorance of the phenomena it aims to explain.

In simple terms: You need to admit ignorance to create a good model.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility in research.

Themes

philosophy science methodology

Mood

inquisitive critical

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • scientific research
  • engineering design
  • policy analysis
  • education curriculum

Key Concepts

epistemology model building uncertainty

Questions to Reflect On

  • What do you assume before studying a problem?
  • How can you test those assumptions?
A Different Perspective

Complex systems may require some prior knowledge.

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