--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot give any scientist of any age…" description: "\"“I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of the conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on whether it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e5/peter-b-medawar-78918_advice_i-cannot-give-any-scientist-of-any-age-b_715213.jpg" --- # I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than… ![“I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of the conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on whether it is true or not.” quote by Peter B. Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e5/peter-b-medawar-78918_advice_i-cannot-give-any-scientist-of-any-age-b_715213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e5/peter-b-medawar-78918_advice_i-cannot-give-any-scientist-of-any-age-b_715213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e5/peter-b-medawar-78918_advice_i-cannot-give-any-scientist-of-any-age-b_715213.jpg) > ““I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of the conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on whether it is true or not.”” [Peter B. Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-b-medawar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evidence, not belief, determines truth; conviction alone cannot make a hypothesis correct. **In simple terms:** Belief doesn't prove truth. Key Takeaway Base conclusions on data, not just confidence. Themes science critical thinking objectivity Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - research - peer review - policy making Key Concepts philosophy of science epistemology bias Questions to Reflect On - How can you test a deeply held belief? - What role does humility play in scientific inquiry? A Different Perspective Strong belief can blind one to contradictory evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Conviction Hypothesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction-hypothesis-3956498/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Hypothesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypothesis/) [Hypothesis True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypothesis-true-2193999/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientist Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist-age-1617085/) [Wishful thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishful-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of a conviction that a hypothesis is true has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/i-cannot-give-any-scientist-of-any-age-better-advice-than-this-the-2/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [The intensity of a conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on whether it is true or false. The importance of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-intensity-of-a-conviction-that-a-hypothesis-is-true-has-no/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [ What the use of P \[the significance level\] implies, therefore, is that a hypothesis that may be true may be rejected because it has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-jeffreys/what-the-use-of-p-the-significance-level-implies-therefore-is-that-a/) [Harold Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-jeffreys/) > [Mr. Darwin's hypothesis is not, so far as I am aware, inconsistent with any known biological fact; on the contrary, if admitted, the facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/mr-darwin-s-hypothesis-is-not-so-far-as-i-am-aware-inconsistent-with/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Any scientist of any age who wants to make important discoveries must study important problems. 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To believe otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/theorems-often-tell-us-complex-truths-about-the-simple-things-but/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [Maybe it's wishful thinking, this snaggly faith of mine, or maybe it's Miles Davis saying, Don't play what's there, play what's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/maybe-it-s-wishful-thinking-this-snaggly-faith-of-mine-or-maybe-it-s/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“What would be the use of distributing millions upon billions upon trillions of sublime rasa-saturated scriptures if, as a result of all the hustle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aindra-das/what-would-be-the-use-of-distributing-millions-upon-billions-upon/) [Aindra Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aindra-das/) ## More by Peter B. Medawar > [“The lives of scientists, considered as Lives, almost always make dull reading. 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