--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In other words, after the laws of…" description: "\"“In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.”\" — Neil deGrasse Tyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png" --- # In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else… ![“In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png) > ““In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.”” [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. Beyond physical laws, all interpretations become subjective viewpoints. **In simple terms:** Science is factual; everything else is opinion. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of objective knowledge. Themes science philosophy subjectivity Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - debates - education - media analysis - personal belief Key Concepts epistemology relativism Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance scientific facts with personal beliefs? - When is opinion valuable? A Different Perspective Subjectivity can hinder consensus on important issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Laws of physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-physics/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) ## Related quotes > [“after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/after-the-laws-of-physics-everything-else-is-opinion/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The power and beauty of physical laws is that they apply everywhere, whether or not you choose to believe in them. In other words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-power-and-beauty-of-physical-laws-is-that-they-apply-everywhere-2/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The remarkable feature of physical laws is that they apply everywhere, whether or not you choose to believe in them. After the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-remarkable-feature-of-physical-laws-is-that-they-apply-everywhere/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The laws of physics should allow us to arrange things molecule by molecule and even atom by atom, and at some point it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/the-laws-of-physics-should-allow-us-to-arrange-things-molecule-by/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [“Knowledge of physical laws can, in some cases, give you the confidence to confront surly people. A few years ago I was having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/knowledge-of-physical-laws-can-in-some-cases-give-you-the-confidence/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The good thing about the laws of physics is that they require no law enforcement agencies to maintain them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-good-thing-about-the-laws-of-physics-is-that-they-require-no-law/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Until Sir Isaac Newton wrote down the universal law of gravitation, nobody had any reason to presume that the laws of physics at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/until-sir-isaac-newton-wrote-down-the-universal-law-of-gravitation/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“In 2002, having spent more than three years in one residence for the first time in my life, I got called for jury duty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-2002-having-spent-more-than-three-years-in-one-residence-for-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Around the world, varying belief systems lead to political differences that are not always resolved peacefully. The power and beauty of physical laws is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/around-the-world-varying-belief-systems-lead-to-political-differences/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [There is no science in this world like physics. Nothing comes close to the precision with which physics enables you to understand the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/there-is-no-science-in-this-world-like-physics-nothing-comes-close-to/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“In the beginning, there was physics. "Physics" describes how matter, energy, space, and time behave and interact with one another. The interplay of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-beginning-there-was-physics-physics-describes-how-matter/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The physicist is like someone who's watching people playing chess and, after watching a few games, he may have worked out what the moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-physicist-is-like-someone-who-s-watching-people-playing-chess-and/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [When I began my career as a cosmologist some twenty years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-tipler/when-i-began-my-career-as-a-cosmologist-some-twenty-years-ago-i-was-a/) [Frank J. Tipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-tipler/) > [The smallest thought could not exist unless the entire universe and the laws of physics were in some way encouraging it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-smallest-thought-could-not-exist-unless-the-entire-universe-and/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social conventions is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the windows of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/anyone-who-believes-that-the-laws-of-physics-are-mere-social/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) ## 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 Laws quotes > [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/) John Dodderidge > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The function of the law is not to provide justice or to preserve freedom. The function of the law is to keep those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-spence/the-function-of-the-law-is-not-to-provide-justice-or-to-preserve/) [Gerry Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-spence/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. We don't have laws that segregate black people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/well-of-course-there-s-been-a-great-deal-of-progress-over-the-last-40/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Any law too often subject to infraction is bad; it is the duty of the legislator to repeal or to change it, lest the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-yourcenar/any-law-too-often-subject-to-infraction-is-bad-it-is-the-duty-of-the/) [Marguerite Yourcenar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-yourcenar/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It is quite wrong that one group of people should regularly and deliberately flout the law, boast about it and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/it-is-quite-wrong-that-one-group-of-people-should-regularly-and/) [Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The sanctity of law can be maintained only so long as it is the expression of the will of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagat-singh/the-sanctity-of-law-can-be-maintained-only-so-long-as-it-is-the/) [Bhagat Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagat-singh/) > [Very often the law of extremity demands an attention to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-frame/very-often-the-law-of-extremity-demands-an-attention-to-irrelevance/) [Janet Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-frame/) > [“Countries, states, cities, corporations and laws are all words on paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/countries-states-cities-corporations-and-laws-are-all-words-on-paper/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The law says you cannot touch, but I see a lot of lawbreakers up in this house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/the-law-says-you-cannot-touch-but-i-see-a-lot-of-lawbreakers-up-in/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) [Browse all 1,713 Laws quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil deGrasse Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics-everything-else-is-opinion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Laws" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics-everything-else-is-opinion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_laws_in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics_2622015.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In other words, after the laws of physics, everything else is opinion.” — 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": "“In other words, after the laws...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics-everything-else-is-opinion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-other-words-after-the-laws-of-physics-everything-else-is-opinion/#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 } } ] } ```