--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The last major risk to getting good facts…" description: "\"“The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. While we may not always test a solution based on our opinions or assumptions about wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/nat-greene-9189_bias_the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-fact_576601.jpg" --- # The last major risk to getting good facts is our own… ![“The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. While we may not always test a solution based on our opinions or assumptions about what’s causing the problem, confirmation bias can plague any problem-solving effort.” quote by Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/nat-greene-9189_bias_the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-fact_576601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/nat-greene-9189_bias_the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-fact_576601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/nat-greene-9189_bias_the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-fact_576601.jpg) > ““The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. While we may not always test a solution based on our opinions or assumptions about what’s causing the problem, confirmation bias can plague any problem-solving effort.”” [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prejudices and confirmation bias hinder objective fact‑finding; we must test solutions beyond personal assumptions. **In simple terms:** Bias blocks objective truth; test assumptions. Key Takeaway Question your biases. Themes cognition bias critical thinking Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research - decision making - team meetings Key Concepts confirmation bias problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify your own biases? - What methods ensure objective testing? A Different Perspective Bias can be hard to detect without external feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Prejudices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudices/) ## Related quotes > [Reputations are shaped not by facts but by prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mertz/reputations-are-shaped-not-by-facts-but-by-prejudices/) [Barbara Mertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mertz/) > [A problem thoroughly understood is always fairly simple. Found your opinions on facts, not prejudices. We know too many things that are not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/a-problem-thoroughly-understood-is-always-fairly-simple-found-your/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [“Confirmation bias is the most effective way to go on living a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/confirmation-bias-is-the-most-effective-way-to-go-on-living-a-lie/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/ever-since-i-learnt-about-confirmation-bias-i-ve-started-seeing-it/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“What is the danger in the personalization era? Psychologists call it confirmation bias—“a tendency to believe things that reinforce our existing views, to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-detweiler/what-is-the-danger-in-the-personalization-era-psychologists-call-it/) [Craig Detweiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-detweiler/) > [“In fact ever since I first learned about confirmation bias I’ve been seeing it everywhere. Everywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/in-fact-ever-since-i-first-learned-about-confirmation-bias-i-ve-been/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“If you are thinking about buying a particular make of new car, you suddenly see people driving that car all over the roads. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/if-you-are-thinking-about-buying-a-particular-make-of-new-car-you/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“The real trouble begins when confirmation bias distorts your active pursuit of facts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/the-real-trouble-begins-when-confirmation-bias-distorts-your-active/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“With enough mental gymnastics, just about any fact can become misshapen in favor to one's confirmation bias.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/with-enough-mental-gymnastics-just-about-any-fact-can-become/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Confirmation bias is the tendency to see things in your environment that confirm your preconceived ideas and not see things that conflict with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/confirmation-bias-is-the-tendency-to-see-things-in-your-environment/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [Between hindsight bias, fake causality, positive bias, anchoring/priming, et cetera et cetera, and above all the dreaded confirmation bias, once an idea gets into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/between-hindsight-bias-fake-causality-positive-bias-anchoring-priming/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The scientific method is designed to help investigators overcome the most entrenched human cognitive habit: the confirmation bias, the tendency to notice and remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-tavris/the-scientific-method-is-designed-to-help-investigators-overcome-the/) [Carol Tavris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-tavris/) > [“The confirmation bias is alive and well in the business world. One example: An executive team decides on a new strategy. The team enthusiastically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-dobelli/the-confirmation-bias-is-alive-and-well-in-the-business-world-one/) [Rolf Dobelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-dobelli/) > [“Because it’s very easy to fall victim to confirmation bias, try focusing only on data that invalidates your hypothesis before looking for data that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/product-school/because-it-s-very-easy-to-fall-victim-to-confirmation-bias-try/) Product School > [We tend to accept information that confirms our prior beliefs and ignore or discredit information that does not. This confirmation bias settles over our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-hill/we-tend-to-accept-information-that-confirms-our-prior-beliefs-and/) [Kyle Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-hill/) ## More by Nat Greene > [“If you believe that success is inevitable, you’re less likely to work your tail off in order to achieve it. Hard problems are definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/if-you-believe-that-success-is-inevitable-you-re-less-likely-to-work/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“To solve truly hard problems, you’ll need to use a method that doesn’t involve guessing in any step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/to-solve-truly-hard-problems-you-ll-need-to-use-a-method-that-doesn-t/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Defining the acceptable and unacceptable ranges for this variable means that the problem definition is objective and immune to opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/defining-the-acceptable-and-unacceptable-ranges-for-this-variable/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Embrace your ignorance. Most people try to solve problems using the knowledge they already have about a process, but it’s what you don’t know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/embrace-your-ignorance-most-people-try-to-solve-problems-using-the/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“When a system isn’t working right, someone has to understand how it’s meant to work, at the right depth, in order to fix it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/when-a-system-isn-t-working-right-someone-has-to-understand-how-it-s/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“When you move down your tree, keep in mind there may be multiple variables contributing to the failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/when-you-move-down-your-tree-keep-in-mind-there-may-be-multiple/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance. —HIPPOCRATES, ANCIENT GREEK FOUNDER OF THE SCIENCE OF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/there-are-in-fact-two-things-science-and-opinion-the-former-begets-2/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“We need to understand what variables most directly control our primary variable by understanding the science behind how the system works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/we-need-to-understand-what-variables-most-directly-control-our/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Perhaps many aid organizations make assumptions about the problem they are solving, and throw hundreds of billions of dollars at the problem to little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/perhaps-many-aid-organizations-make-assumptions-about-the-problem/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“most methods disguise the guessing stage in some fancy language, such as “determine possible root causes.” This is making a list of guesses, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/most-methods-disguise-the-guessing-stage-in-some-fancy-language-such/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Perhaps the most useful approach for defining the problem well is structuring it as a measurable variable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/perhaps-the-most-useful-approach-for-defining-the-problem-well-is/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Don’t confuse believing in a simple solution with hoping that a simple guess will work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/don-t-confuse-believing-in-a-simple-solution-with-hoping-that-a/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Keep in mind that the method you choose to guide you is of little use without strong problem-solving behaviors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/keep-in-mind-that-the-method-you-choose-to-guide-you-is-of-little-use/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Even when diving into a problem, there’s a fear of looking ignorant or “stupid” by asking questions one is “supposed to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/even-when-diving-into-a-problem-there-s-a-fear-of-looking-ignorant-or/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“It is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one.1 —STEPHEN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/it-is-possible-with-lots-of-hard-work-dedication-and-timely-help-to/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) [Explore all 74 Nat Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [That's awesome. There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The stance I took was there is no room for racial bias anywhere in sports. I believe that was basically all I said about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-larkin/the-stance-i-took-was-there-is-no-room-for-racial-bias-anywhere-in/) [Barry Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-larkin/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) [Browse all 667 Bias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. 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