--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hitherto the principle of causality was…" description: "\"Hitherto the principle of causality was universally accepted as an indispensable postulate of scientific research, but now we are told by some physicis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/max-planck-8715_acceptance_hitherto-the-principle-of-causality-was_1422209.jpg" --- # Hitherto the principle of causality was universally… ![“Hitherto the principle of causality was universally accepted as an indispensable postulate of scientific research, but now we are told by some physicists that it must be thrown overboard. The fact that such an extraordinary opinion should be expressed in responsible scientific quarters is widely…” quote by Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/max-planck-8715_acceptance_hitherto-the-principle-of-causality-was_1422209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/max-planck-8715_acceptance_hitherto-the-principle-of-causality-was_1422209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/max-planck-8715_acceptance_hitherto-the-principle-of-causality-was_1422209.jpg) > “Hitherto the principle of causality was universally accepted as an indispensable postulate of scientific research, but now we are told by some physicists that it must be thrown overboard. The fact that such an extraordinary opinion should be expressed in responsible scientific quarters is widely taken to be significant of the all-round unreliability of human knowledge. This indeed is a very serious situation.” [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional causality is being challenged by modern physics, raising doubts about the certainty of scientific knowledge. **In simple terms:** Science questions cause and effect. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about certainty. Themes science philosophy uncertainty Mood thoughtful concerned Type analytical critical When to use this quote - academic research - philosophical debates - public policy - education Key Concepts causality quantum mechanics epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How does this shift affect scientific methodology? - What alternatives to causality exist? A Different Perspective Even if causality is questioned, empirical testing remains essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) [Causality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causality/) [Causality Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causality-universally-5040471/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Human knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-knowledge/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Indispensable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indispensable/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Overboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overboard/) [Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist/) [Principle Causality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-causality-4192900/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Quarters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarters/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible Scientific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-scientific-5040472/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-research/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Thrown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrown/) [Told Physicists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-physicists-5040473/) [Unreliability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreliability/) ## Related quotes > [“There is a current misconception which sees in Jung an early disciple of Freud who subsequently deserted his master. Nothing could be more misleading.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/there-is-a-current-misconception-which-sees-in-jung-an-early-disciple/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [The quantum hypothesis will eventually find its exact expression in certain equations which will be a more exact formulation of the law of causality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-quantum-hypothesis-will-eventually-find-its-exact-expression-in/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Citizendium is based on the failings and unreliability of Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-sanger/citizendium-is-based-on-the-failings-and-unreliability-of-wikipedia/) [Larry Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-sanger/) > [As we build systems that are more and more complex, we make more and more subtle but very high-impact mistakes. As we use computers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-blaze/as-we-build-systems-that-are-more-and-more-complex-we-make-more-and/) [Matt Blaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-blaze/) > [What do you want to avoid? Such an easy answer: sloth and unreliability. If you're unreliable it doesn't matter what your virtues are. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/what-do-you-want-to-avoid-such-an-easy-answer-sloth-and-unreliability/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [It is very expensive to achieve high unreliability. It is not uncommon to increase the cost of an item by a factor of ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/it-is-very-expensive-to-achieve-high-unreliability-it-is-not-uncommon/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [The felt unreliability of human experience brought about by the inhuman acceleration of historical change has led every sensitive modern mind to the recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-felt-unreliability-of-human-experience-brought-about-by-the/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all burdened by a certain kind of indifference to the plight of poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/when-i-stepped-into-this-world-i-saw-that-we-were-all-burdened-by-a/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [I glance back in the mirror to the concrete bridge, the one I've boldly driven straight across without second thought, and I see truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/i-glance-back-in-the-mirror-to-the-concrete-bridge-the-one-i-ve/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Cars typically become unreliable after a decade of use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/cars-typically-become-unreliable-after-a-decade-of-use/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [The only thing we can really count on in this uncertain world is human unreliability itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/the-only-thing-we-can-really-count-on-in-this-uncertain-world-is/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [Every time I surrender to stress, aren’t I advertising the unreliability of God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/every-time-i-surrender-to-stress-aren-t-i-advertising-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The general unreliability of all information presents a special problem in war: all action takes place, so to speak, in the twilight, which, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-general-unreliability-of-all-information-presents-a-special/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [What children, in fact all of us at any age, find frightening is unreliability and emotional coldness. The idea that you can't affect someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/what-children-in-fact-all-of-us-at-any-age-find-frightening-is/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [When I began to write our story down, I thought I was writing a record of hate, but somehow the hate has got mislaid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/when-i-began-to-write-our-story-down-i-thought-i-was-writing-a-record/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## More by Max Planck > [The entire world we apprehend through our senses is no more than a tiny fragment in the vastness of Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-entire-world-we-apprehend-through-our-senses-is-no-more-than-a/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/i-regard-consciousness-as-fundamental-i-regard-matter-as-derivative/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [It was not by accident that the greatest thinkers of all ages were deeply religious souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/it-was-not-by-accident-that-the-greatest-thinkers-of-all-ages-were/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/as-a-man-who-has-devoted-his-whole-life-to-the-most-clear-headed/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/all-matter-originates-and-exists-only-by-virtue-of-a-force-which/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [The Theory of Relativity confers an absolute meaning on a magnitude which in classical theory has only a relative significance: the velocity of light.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-theory-of-relativity-confers-an-absolute-meaning-on-a-magnitude/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Experimenters are the shock troops of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/experimenters-are-the-shock-troops-of-science/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [An experiment is a question which science poses to Nature and a measurement is the recording of Nature's answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/an-experiment-is-a-question-which-science-poses-to-nature-and-a/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Scientific work will never stop, and it would be terrible if it did. If there were no more problems, you would put your hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/scientific-work-will-never-stop-and-it-would-be-terrible-if-it-did-if/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [We cannot rest and sit down lest we rust and decay. Health is maintained only through work. And as it is with all life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/we-cannot-rest-and-sit-down-lest-we-rust-and-decay-health-is/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Science advances one funeral at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/science-advances-one-funeral-at-a-time/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [There can never be any real opposition between religion and science; for the one is the complement of the other. Every serious and reflective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/there-can-never-be-any-real-opposition-between-religion-and-science/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [The assumption of an absolute determinism is the essential foundation of every scientific enquiry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-assumption-of-an-absolute-determinism-is-the-essential-foundation/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Science enhances the moral value of life, because it furthers a love of truth and reverence-love of truth displaying itself in the constant endeavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/science-enhances-the-moral-value-of-life-because-it-furthers-a-love/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Every advance in knowledge brings us face to face with the mystery of our own being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/every-advance-in-knowledge-brings-us-face-to-face-with-the-mystery-of/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) [Explore all 78 Max Planck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hitherto the principle of causality was universally accepted as an indispensable postulate of scientific research, but now we are told by some physicists that it must be thrown overboard. 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