--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am less attracted to guesses about what…" description: "\"I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.\" — Patricia Churchland" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png" --- # I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done… ![“I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.” quote by Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png) > “I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.” [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prefers focusing on solvable problems rather than speculative impossibilities. **In simple terms:** Focus on achievable progress. Key Takeaway Prioritize practical problem solving. Themes philosophy problem solving pragmatism Mood analytical motivational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - research projects - engineering challenges - policy design Key Concepts epistemology cognitive science Questions to Reflect On - What problems seem unsolvable? - How to balance speculation and action? A Different Perspective Speculation can inspire breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guesses/) [Making Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-progress/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) ## Related quotes > [Making progress on longstanding challenges requires a different lens and a new approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayanna-pressley/making-progress-on-longstanding-challenges-requires-a-different-lens/) [Ayanna Pressley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayanna-pressley/) > [Some of the generals are saying, 'We're making progress. We are clearing an area.' But you really don't defeat the Taliban by clearing an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/some-of-the-generals-are-saying-we-re-making-progress-we-are-clearing/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Anyone who thinks they're a progressive should be interested in making progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/anyone-who-thinks-they-re-a-progressive-should-be-interested-in/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [“If you do please everyone, you aren't making enough progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/if-you-do-please-everyone-you-aren-t-making-enough-progress/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Prejudice exists and probably will continue to 'but we have tried to make progress and we are making progress. We are not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/prejudice-exists-and-probably-will-continue-to-but-we-have-tried-to/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [We do not know how to formulate string theory nor do we know its underlying principles. Surprisingly, this fact does not stop us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-seiberg/we-do-not-know-how-to-formulate-string-theory-nor-do-we-know-its/) [Nathan Seiberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-seiberg/) > [And I think that Africa is making progress that the world needs to recognize and assist the continent to continue on that path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dramani-mahama/and-i-think-that-africa-is-making-progress-that-the-world-needs-to/) [John Dramani Mahama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dramani-mahama/) > [If I don't go to the gym enough, I'm not as good at my job. I'm miserable at home. I'm not as good a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-francis/if-i-don-t-go-to-the-gym-enough-i-m-not-as-good-at-my-job-i-m/) [Ben Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-francis/) > [These are only hints an guesses... the rest is prayer, observance, discipline, thought, and action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/these-are-only-hints-an-guesses-the-rest-is-prayer-observance/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [The best of seers is he who guesses well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/the-best-of-seers-is-he-who-guesses-well/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“Predictions are just good guesses or stories for the gullible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynne-channing/predictions-are-just-good-guesses-or-stories-for-the-gullible/) [Wynne Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynne-channing/) > [These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/these-are-only-hints-and-guesses-hints-followed-by-guesses-and-the/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [“Predictions are but guesses - when they come true, they are prophecies; when they don't, we salvage the situation by calling them allegories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-klepper/predictions-are-but-guesses-when-they-come-true-they-are-prophecies/) [Mike Klepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-klepper/) > [I am a man who knows nothing, guesses sometimes, finds frequently and who's always amazed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-de-villiers-de-l-isle-adam/i-am-a-man-who-knows-nothing-guesses-sometimes-finds-frequently-and/) [Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-de-villiers-de-l-isle-adam/) > [A second-guesser is one who doesn't know anything about the first guess, and he's one who needs 2 guesses to get one right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/a-second-guesser-is-one-who-doesn-t-know-anything-about-the-first/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) ## More by Patricia Churchland > [Studies of decision-making in the monkey, where activity of single neurons in parietal cortex is recorded, you can see a lot about the time-accuracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/studies-of-decision-making-in-the-monkey-where-activity-of-single/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [It is important to understand that while oxytocin may be the hub of the evolution of the social brain in mammals, it is part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/it-is-important-to-understand-that-while-oxytocin-may-be-the-hub-of/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [It seems probable that humans have been on the planet, with much the same brain, for about 250,000 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/it-seems-probable-that-humans-have-been-on-the-planet-with-much-the/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Brains are not magical; they are causal machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/brains-are-not-magical-they-are-causal-machines/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Remember, in the heyday of vitalism, people said that when all the data are in about cells and how they work, we will still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/remember-in-the-heyday-of-vitalism-people-said-that-when-all-the-data/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Suppression of impulses that would put you in danger is obviously an important neurobiological function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/suppression-of-impulses-that-would-put-you-in-danger-is-obviously-an/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Early studies of sleep and dreaming were crucially dependent on waking subjects up during sleep to find out whether they are dreaming or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/early-studies-of-sleep-and-dreaming-were-crucially-dependent-on/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [When that theory is isolated from known facts, it is likely not to be productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/when-that-theory-is-isolated-from-known-facts-it-is-likely-not-to-be/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [I used to suspect that in the brain, time is its own representation. I now think the problem is so much more complicated. Initially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-used-to-suspect-that-in-the-brain-time-is-its-own-representation-i/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Analyzing a concept can (perhaps) tell you what the concept means (at least means to some philosophers), but it does not tell you anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/analyzing-a-concept-can-perhaps-tell-you-what-the-concept-means-at/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Humility bids us to take ourselves as we are; we do not have to be cosmically significant to be genuinely significant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/humility-bids-us-to-take-ourselves-as-we-are-we-do-not-have-to-be/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [I made the assumption, wrong of course, that conceptual analysis was a brief preliminary on the road to finding out about the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-made-the-assumption-wrong-of-course-that-conceptual-analysis-was-a/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [When philosophers try to understand consciousness, much of what they claim is not conceptual analysis at all, though it may be shopped under that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/when-philosophers-try-to-understand-consciousness-much-of-what-they/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [If you give up because you announce the phenomenon cannot be explained, you are missing out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/if-you-give-up-because-you-announce-the-phenomenon-cannot-be/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [Many mammals and birds have systems for strong self-control, and it is not difficult to see why such systems were advantageous and were selected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/many-mammals-and-birds-have-systems-for-strong-self-control-and-it-is/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) [Explore all 32 Patricia Churchland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua/i-don-t-enjoy-killing-but-when-done-righteously-it-s-just-a-chore/) [Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) Browse all 25,653 Done quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patricia Churchland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-what-cannot-be-done-than-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Done" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-what-cannot-be-done-than-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/patricia-churchland-19570_done_i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-wha_1561778.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.” — Patricia Churchland", "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": "Patricia Churchland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am less attracted to guesses...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-what-cannot-be-done-than-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-what-cannot-be-done-than-about/#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 } } ] } ```