--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We who cherish science should be careful…" description: "\"We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish when we are doing science and when we are extrapolating from it\" — Michael Ruse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg" --- # We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish… ![“We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish when we are doing science and when we are extrapolating from it” quote by Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg) > “We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish when we are doing science and when we are extrapolating from it” [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists should distinguish genuine scientific work from speculative extrapolation. **In simple terms:** Separate science from speculation Key Takeaway Maintain scientific rigor Themes science philosophy methodology Mood cautious inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - research planning - policy making Key Concepts hypothesis testing peer review critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When is speculation useful in science? - How to guard against over‑extrapolation? A Different Perspective Speculation can inspire but may be misrepresented as fact ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-careful/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Cherish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherish/) [Cherish Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherish-science-4277991/) [Doing Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-science-247388/) [Extrapolating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extrapolating-241559/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-careful-4277990/) [Science Extrapolating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-extrapolating-4277989/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [ Cherish \[Science\], venerate her, follow her methods faithfully ... and the future of this people will be greater than the past. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/cherish-science-venerate-her-follow-her-methods-faithfully-and-the/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [But however mysterious is nature , however ignorant the doctor, however imperfect the present state of physical science , the patronage and the success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/but-however-mysterious-is-nature-however-ignorant-the-doctor-however/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [People who try to predict the future by extrapolating in a line of more of what exists - they are always wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/people-who-try-to-predict-the-future-by-extrapolating-in-a-line-of/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [I'm not much interested in extrapolating science and technology; I merely use extrapolation as a means of putting people into new quandaries which produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/i-m-not-much-interested-in-extrapolating-science-and-technology-i/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [One of the reasons for its success is that science has a built-in, error-correcting machinery at its very heart. Some may consider this an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/one-of-the-reasons-for-its-success-is-that-science-has-a-built-in/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I've tried to be a straight scientist doing the science and reporting it as best I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/i-ve-tried-to-be-a-straight-scientist-doing-the-science-and-reporting/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The art of doing science is doing the important things first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-brenner/the-art-of-doing-science-is-doing-the-important-things-first/) [Sydney Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-brenner/) > [“We are all Rumsfeldian, if we are doing science right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/we-are-all-rumsfeldian-if-we-are-doing-science-right/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) > [I wanted to be a scientist. 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There's somebody checking the people doing the science, and then there's somebody who checks the checkers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/there-are-checks-and-balances-in-science-there-s-somebody-checking/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [But the context of religion is a great background for doing science. In the words of Psalm 19, 'The heavens declare the glory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-leonard-schawlow/but-the-context-of-religion-is-a-great-background-for-doing-science/) [Arthur Leonard Schawlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-leonard-schawlow/) > [We have this very clean picture of science, you know, these well-established rules with which we make predictions. But when you're really doing science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/we-have-this-very-clean-picture-of-science-you-know-these-well/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [The reason I spend so much of my time doing science is that the whole point of science is to help people resolve conflicting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/the-reason-i-spend-so-much-of-my-time-doing-science-is-that-the-whole/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) ## More by Michael Ruse > [Being a philosophical naturalist does not mean that one thinks that science can provide all of the answers. That is scientism and that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/being-a-philosophical-naturalist-does-not-mean-that-one-thinks-that/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [“The definition of a philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black hat, which isn’t really there. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/the-definition-of-a-philosopher-is-a-blind-man-in-a-dark-room-looking/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [In particular, I argue that in both evolution and creation we have rival religious responses to a crisis of faith-rival stories of origins, rival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/in-particular-i-argue-that-in-both-evolution-and-creation-we-have/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [ “Fifth, I think that you \[Daniel Dennett\] and Richard are absolute disasters in the fight against intelligent design — we are losing this battle,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/fifth-i-think-that-you-daniel-dennett-and-richard-are-absolute/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [In other words, science tells us that Adam and Eve are fictions. 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Considered as a rationally justifiable set of claims about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/morality-is-a-biological-adaptation-no-less-than-are-hands-and-feet/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [Evolution is promoted by its practitioners as more than mere science. Evolution is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion - a full-fledged alternative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/evolution-is-promoted-by-its-practitioners-as-more-than-mere-science/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [“I mean, I think even God would agree with this at this point. God’s existence isn’t important. It’s what we do with what we’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/i-mean-i-think-even-god-would-agree-with-this-at-this-point-god-s/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist, and the McGraths show why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/the-god-delusion-makes-me-embarrassed-to-be-an-atheist-and-the/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) > [Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/evolution-is-a-religion-this-was-true-of-evolution-in-the-beginning/) [Michael Ruse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) [Explore all 13 Michael Ruse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/) ## More Be careful quotes > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have to be careful to get out before I become the grotesque caricature of a hatchet-faced woman with big knockers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-have-to-be-careful-to-get-out-before-i-become-the-grotesque/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) > [Well sometimes, culture can stifle talent, so you have to be careful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/well-sometimes-culture-can-stifle-talent-so-you-have-to-be-careful/) [Monty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-williams/) > [And so we have to be careful with looking at additional stimulus that we don't provoke an increase in the bond rate and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-raines/and-so-we-have-to-be-careful-with-looking-at-additional-stimulus-that/) [Franklin Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-raines/) > [Be careful who you might trust the Devil was once an angel too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-who-you-might-trust-the-devil-was-once-an-angel-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/one-must-always-be-careful-of-books-said-tessa-and-what-is-inside/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Be careful, once water is spilled, it can never return to its container](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciel-phantomhive/be-careful-once-water-is-spilled-it-can-never-return-to-its-container/) [Ciel Phantomhive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciel-phantomhive/) > [We used to tell our receivers, 'If you want to run an inside breaking route, and you want to fight for yardage after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/we-used-to-tell-our-receivers-if-you-want-to-run-an-inside-breaking/) [Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/) > [A bad investment is going for quantity over quality. If you're trying to be careful with your wallet, especially with the economy right now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-siriano/a-bad-investment-is-going-for-quantity-over-quality-if-you-re-trying/) [Christian Siriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-siriano/) [Browse all 989 Be careful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-careful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish when we are doing science and when we are extrapolating from it", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Ruse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful-to-distinguish-when-we-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be careful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful-to-distinguish-when-we-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/michael-ruse-35791_be-careful_we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful_2924269.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We who cherish science should be careful to distinguish when we are doing science and when we are…” — Michael Ruse", "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": "Michael Ruse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We who cherish science should be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful-to-distinguish-when-we-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruse/we-who-cherish-science-should-be-careful-to-distinguish-when-we-are/#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 } } ] } ```