--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A theory is only as good as its…" description: "\"A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the premises are false, the theory has no real scientific value. The only scientific criterion for judg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/maurice-allais-60466_assumption_a-theory-is-only-as-good-as-its-assumpti_914136.jpg" --- # A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the… ![“A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the premises are false, the theory has no real scientific value. The only scientific criterion for judging the validity of a scientific theory is a confrontation with the data of experience.” quote by Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/maurice-allais-60466_assumption_a-theory-is-only-as-good-as-its-assumpti_914136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/maurice-allais-60466_assumption_a-theory-is-only-as-good-as-its-assumpti_914136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/maurice-allais-60466_assumption_a-theory-is-only-as-good-as-its-assumpti_914136.jpg) > “A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the premises are false, the theory has no real scientific value. The only scientific criterion for judging the validity of a scientific theory is a confrontation with the data of experience.” [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A theory’s value depends on its premises; without true assumptions, it fails empirical testing. **In simple terms:** Good assumptions are essential. Key Takeaway Check your premises. Themes science theory assumptions Mood critical analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - research design - policy analysis - model building - academic study Key Concepts epistemology methodology validation Questions to Reflect On - Are your assumptions realistic? - How will you test them? A Different Perspective Real‑world data may be hard to obtain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Confrontation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confrontation/) [Criteria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criteria/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Premises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premises/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific Criterion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-criterion-1362609/) [Scientific theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-theory/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Theory Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-good-1362610/) [Validity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/validity/) [Validity Scientific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/validity-scientific-1159520/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [To mistrust science and deny the validity of scientific method is to resign your job as a human. 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D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [The tradition of Chicago price theory is a good one, and it is a low-tech methodology that tries to apply simple economic theory to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/the-tradition-of-chicago-price-theory-is-a-good-one-and-it-is-a-low/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [Was Einstein's theory good? Relatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/was-einstein-s-theory-good-relatively/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [The electron is a theory. But the theory is so good we can almost consider them real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-electron-is-a-theory-but-the-theory-is-so-good-we-can-almost/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [If we have a correct theory but merely prate about it, pigeonhole it and do not put it into practice, then that theory, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/if-we-have-a-correct-theory-but-merely-prate-about-it-pigeonhole-it/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [No theory is good unless it permits, not rest, but the greatest work. No theory is good except on condition that one use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/no-theory-is-good-unless-it-permits-not-rest-but-the-greatest-work-no/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Classical economists assume that people have rational and stable preferences and that their well-being is greatest when they have the maximum opportunities to satisfy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-marks/classical-economists-assume-that-people-have-rational-and-stable/) [Nic Marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-marks/) ## More by Maurice Allais > [“Submission to the experimental data is the golden rule that dominates any scientific discipline.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-allais/submission-to-the-experimental-data-is-the-golden-rule-that-dominates/) [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) > [Anyone who dares to speak about an aether is regarded as an ignorant and backward mind and he can only lose his credibility in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-allais/anyone-who-dares-to-speak-about-an-aether-is-regarded-as-an-ignorant/) [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) > [In fact, without any exaggeration, the current mechanism of money creation through credit is certainly the "cancer" that's irretrievably eroding market economies of private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-allais/in-fact-without-any-exaggeration-the-current-mechanism-of-money/) [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) > [Too many theorists have a tendency to ignore facts that contradict their convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-allais/too-many-theorists-have-a-tendency-to-ignore-facts-that-contradict/) [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) [Explore all 5 Maurice Allais quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) ## More Assumption quotes > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) [Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [If they are, then the only ultimate truths are the particulars of concrete experience, and no postulate or general assumption is inherent in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/if-they-are-then-the-only-ultimate-truths-are-the-particulars-of/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. 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A middle-aged American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/when-i-see-a-fan-coming-over-i-can-t-help-but-make-an-assumption/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Pussy Riot have certainly changed some people's assumptions about the role of political art and the relationship between the intelligentsia and the church. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/pussy-riot-have-certainly-changed-some-people-s-assumptions-about-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) [Browse all 1,277 Assumption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the premises are false, the theory has no real scientific value. 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