--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yet it is unassailably true that so long…" description: "\"“Yet it is unassailably true that so long as we lack omniscience and do not know all of the future, all our generalizations are fallible or only probab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/morris-f-cohen-101819_certainty_yet-it-is-unassailably-true-that-so-long_2494561.jpg" --- # Yet it is unassailably true that so long as we lack… ![“Yet it is unassailably true that so long as we lack omniscience and do not know all of the future, all our generalizations are fallible or only probable. And the history of human error shows that a general consensus, or widespread and unquestioned feeling of certainty, does not preclude the…” quote by Morris F. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/morris-f-cohen-101819_certainty_yet-it-is-unassailably-true-that-so-long_2494561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/morris-f-cohen-101819_certainty_yet-it-is-unassailably-true-that-so-long_2494561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/morris-f-cohen-101819_certainty_yet-it-is-unassailably-true-that-so-long_2494561.jpg) > ““Yet it is unassailably true that so long as we lack omniscience and do not know all of the future, all our generalizations are fallible or only probable. And the history of human error shows that a general consensus, or widespread and unquestioned feeling of certainty, does not preclude the possibility that the future may show us to be in error.”” [Morris F. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-f-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without complete knowledge, all generalizations remain uncertain and prone to error, even when widely accepted. **In simple terms:** Generalizations are always uncertain without full knowledge. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and seek evidence. Themes certainty Error Fallible Probable Time Generalizations Fallible Fallible Probable Future Generalizations Omniscience Know Mood thoughtful analytical Type Certainty:0 Error:1 Fallible:1 Generalizations:1 Omniscience:0 Probable:0 Time:0 Generalizations Fallible:0 Fallible Probable:0 Future Generalizations:0 Omniscience Know:0 When to use this quote - Scientific research - Policy making - Every forecasting - Historical analysis Key Concepts Epistemology Fallibility Consensus Questions to Reflect On - How do you test widely held beliefs? - What role does uncertainty play in decision making? A Different Perspective Even broad consensus can be wrong; new data emerges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Error](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/error/) [Fallible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallible/) [Fallible Probable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallible-probable-999337/) [Future Generalizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-generalizations-999338/) [Generalizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalizations/) [Generalizations Fallible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalizations-fallible-999336/) [Omniscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/omniscience/) [Omniscience Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/omniscience-know-999339/) [Probable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probable/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“In order for a god to be all-knowing, he must know even the fact of his own omniscience. But can he do this? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-puccetti/in-order-for-a-god-to-be-all-knowing-he-must-know-even-the-fact-of/) [Roland Puccetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-puccetti/) > [So far, I haven't met anyone, and with an average fifteen-hour workday schedule, I hardly think it's probable... For the sake of my making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-burr/so-far-i-haven-t-met-anyone-and-with-an-average-fifteen-hour-workday/) [Raymond Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-burr/) > [“Le vrai peut quelquefois n'être pas vraisemblable. (At times truth may not seem probable)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/le-vrai-peut-quelquefois-n-tre-pas-vraisemblable-at-times-truth-may/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [“Probability is just that: probable. Nothing is certain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-jackson/probability-is-just-that-probable-nothing-is-certain/) [Holly Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-jackson/) > [Whether the prayer of Seneca was granted we do not know; but, as we do not again hear of Marcus, it is probable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-william-farrar/whether-the-prayer-of-seneca-was-granted-we-do-not-know-but-as-we-do/) [Frederic William Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-william-farrar/) > [It is highly probable that in most cases, war could be avoided or ended. For discussions allow passion to subside, and to persuade alienated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-albert-gobat/it-is-highly-probable-that-in-most-cases-war-could-be-avoided-or/) [Charles Albert Gobat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-albert-gobat/) > [It is probable that England will look favorably upon the independence of the Philippines, for it will open their ports to her and afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/it-is-probable-that-england-will-look-favorably-upon-the-independence/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [The majority of my UFO diet consists of reports describing suspected encounters. This is not surprising, as there are thousands of sightings annually. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-majority-of-my-ufo-diet-consists-of-reports-describing-suspected/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [My duty is to make probable the improbable. If I tell you how I did it, I will ruin your experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-duty-is-to-make-probable-the-improbable-if-i-tell-you-how-i-did-it/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Suicide is possible, but not probable; hanging, I trust, is even more unlikely; for I hope that, by the time I die, my countrymen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-housman/suicide-is-possible-but-not-probable-hanging-i-trust-is-even-more/) [Laurence Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-housman/) > [“Do not fear to think even the most not-probable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/do-not-fear-to-think-even-the-most-not-probable/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“If you think that your partner has been cheating, then take a look at their will. If a past lover is in there, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/if-you-think-that-your-partner-has-been-cheating-then-take-a-look-at/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Rule of law is based on probable cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-swalwell/rule-of-law-is-based-on-probable-cause/) [Eric Swalwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-swalwell/) > [“The impossible was created in order to give us something to solve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-impossible-was-created-in-order-to-give-us-something-to-solve/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We live in the most probable of all possible worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-live-in-the-most-probable-of-all-possible-worlds/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More by Morris F. Cohen > [“Logic may be conceived as ruling out what is absolutely impossible, and thus determining the field of what in the absence of empirical knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-f-cohen/logic-may-be-conceived-as-ruling-out-what-is-absolutely-impossible/) [Morris F. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-f-cohen/) [Explore all 2 Morris F. Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-f-cohen/) ## More Certainty quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. They deserve to know that my attention and focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/every-single-person-who-is-a-member-of-our-party-deserves-to-have/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) > [The significance and volume of repairs that are needed across the country demand that we give state and local governments the long-term certainty they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/the-significance-and-volume-of-repairs-that-are-needed-across-the/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [“Death is the one great certainty in life. That’s what my dad used to say. Nothing else is certain. Not love. Not happiness. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/) [Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Finding someone that trusted my vision helped me find certainty in who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/finding-someone-that-trusted-my-vision-helped-me-find-certainty-in/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 1,776 Certainty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Yet it is unassailably true that so long as we lack omniscience and do not know all of the future, all our generalizations are fallible or only probable. 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