--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm perennially intrigued how people who…" description: "\"I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely evidence-based lives can, in a belief-based part of their mind, be certain that an invisible, div..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png" --- # I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely… ![“I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely evidence-based lives can, in a belief-based part of their mind, be certain that an invisible, divine entity created an entire universe just for us, or that the government is stockpiling space aliens in a secret desert location.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png) > “I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely evidence-based lives can, in a belief-based part of their mind, be certain that an invisible, divine entity created an entire universe just for us, or that the government is stockpiling space aliens in a secret desert location.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People can hold scientific and belief‑based views simultaneously, despite contradictory evidence. **In simple terms:** Science and belief can coexist in minds. Key Takeaway Recognize cognitive dissonance. Themes science belief cognitive dissonance Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - public policy - education - religious dialogue - space research Key Concepts philosophy of science psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to unverified beliefs? - How can we bridge science and faith? A Different Perspective Such duality may hinder critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Faith means intense, usually confident, belief that is not based on evidence sufficient to command assent from every reasonable person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kaufmann/faith-means-intense-usually-confident-belief-that-is-not-based-on/) [Walter Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kaufmann/) > [“I really, really wanted to be successful in my life just based on me and my mind alone…I didn’t ever want it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/i-really-really-wanted-to-be-successful-in-my-life-just-based-on-me/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [Everything is based on mind, is led by mind, is fashioned by mind. If you speak and act with a pure mind, happiness will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/everything-is-based-on-mind-is-led-by-mind-is-fashioned-by-mind-if-2/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Everything is based on mind, is led by mind, is fashioned by mind. If you speak and act with a polluted mind, suffering will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/everything-is-based-on-mind-is-led-by-mind-is-fashioned-by-mind-if/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The history of science shows that great mysteries get solved. It may be that there's an answer that humans are too stupid to understand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-history-of-science-shows-that-great-mysteries-get-solved-it-may/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“There had to be one universe — just this one — where we don’t end up together. Here and now just happens to be it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-dunn/there-had-to-be-one-universe-just-this-one-where-we-don-t-end-up/) [Gaby Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-dunn/) > [I think the universe just brings people around others they find to be interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/i-think-the-universe-just-brings-people-around-others-they-find-to-be/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [“I guess maybe once in a while the universe just knows a good thing when it sees it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-rothenberg/i-guess-maybe-once-in-a-while-the-universe-just-knows-a-good-thing/) [Jess Rothenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-rothenberg/) > [It isn't necessary to be perfect to be a channel for the universe. You just have to be real- be yourself. The more real,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/it-isn-t-necessary-to-be-perfect-to-be-a-channel-for-the-universe-you/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [“That's right I was speaking to the creator of universe as though we had just been introduced at a cocktail party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-right-i-was-speaking-to-the-creator-of-universe-as-though-we/) [elizabeth gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I think the great thing about the WWE universe is that they just love to see us perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane/i-think-the-great-thing-about-the-wwe-universe-is-that-they-just-love/) [Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane/) > [Our God's going to be victorious. He's the Creator of the universe. I'm just a vessel trying to do my part with what I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-heath/our-god-s-going-to-be-victorious-he-s-the-creator-of-the-universe-i-m/) [Tobin Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-heath/) > [So, that is my final lesson from the universe - you just do what you need to do, and stay on track.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/so-that-is-my-final-lesson-from-the-universe-you-just-do-what-you/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I think it is all about creating characters, mixing them up with the stars and the light-years, and coming back to Earth, because we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-think-it-is-all-about-creating-characters-mixing-them-up-with-the/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The Pacific is the best toilet for satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-pacific-is-the-best-toilet-for-satellites/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If you seek only easy problems to solve, then ultimately, there'll be nothing about you to distinguish yourself from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-you-seek-only-easy-problems-to-solve-then-ultimately-there-ll-be/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We explore our environment, more than we are compelled to utter poetry, when we're toddlers. We start doing that later. Before that happens, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-explore-our-environment-more-than-we-are-compelled-to-utter-poetry/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science surrounds you. It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. Look at how much we all spend just to get - well, I get sick on the loop-the-loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/everybody-s-got-money-for-vacation-time-look-at-how-much-we-all-spend/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Explore all 1,143 Neil deGrasse Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More Alien quotes > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the north?' 'Lots of planets have a north!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/if-you-are-an-alien-how-come-you-sound-like-you-re-from-the-north/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [North Korea is still my homeland, my country. I suffered on the outside because I was alien, without identity. I was nobody. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/north-korea-is-still-my-homeland-my-country-i-suffered-on-the-outside/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [I don't want to be the embarrassment of the galaxy to have had the power to deflect an asteroid, and then not and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-embarrassment-of-the-galaxy-to-have-had-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Whatever is not commonly seen is condemned as alien.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/whatever-is-not-commonly-seen-is-condemned-as-alien/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [Alien's a great one. That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Rick stared at him. "Your brother is an alien." "Yeah, but he's a cute one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/rick-stared-at-him-your-brother-is-an-alien-yeah-but-he-s-a-cute-one/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [We of alien looks or words must stick together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/we-of-alien-looks-or-words-must-stick-together/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [One of the most interesting things for me in playing another species is that you want to make them different enough to be alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-murray/one-of-the-most-interesting-things-for-me-in-playing-another-species/) [Jaime Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-murray/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 709 Alien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely evidence-based lives can, in a belief-based part of their mind, be certain that an invisible, divine entity created an entire universe just for us, or that the government is stockpiling space aliens in a secret desert location.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil deGrasse Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who-lead-largely-evidence-based/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alien" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who-lead-largely-evidence-based/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_alien_i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who_1284562.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm perennially intrigued how people who lead largely evidence-based lives can, in a belief-based part of…” — Neil deGrasse Tyson", "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": "Neil deGrasse Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm perennially intrigued how people who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who-lead-largely-evidence-based/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-m-perennially-intrigued-how-people-who-lead-largely-evidence-based/#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 } } ] } ```