--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a common failing-and one that I…" description: "\"It is a common failing-and one that I have myself suffered from-to fall in love with a hypothesis and to be unwilling to take no for an answer. A love ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76b/peter-medawar-9996_affair_it-is-a-common-failing-and-one-that-i-ha_2380445.jpg" --- # It is a common failing-and one that I have myself suffered… ![“It is a common failing-and one that I have myself suffered from-to fall in love with a hypothesis and to be unwilling to take no for an answer. A love affair with a pet hypothesis can waste years of precious time. There is very often no finally decisive yes, though quite often there can be a…” quote by Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76b/peter-medawar-9996_affair_it-is-a-common-failing-and-one-that-i-ha_2380445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76b/peter-medawar-9996_affair_it-is-a-common-failing-and-one-that-i-ha_2380445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76b/peter-medawar-9996_affair_it-is-a-common-failing-and-one-that-i-ha_2380445.jpg) > “It is a common failing-and one that I have myself suffered from-to fall in love with a hypothesis and to be unwilling to take no for an answer. A love affair with a pet hypothesis can waste years of precious time. There is very often no finally decisive yes, though quite often there can be a decisive no.” [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Becoming attached to a hypothesis can blind you to rejecting it, wasting time and progress. **In simple terms:** Loving a hypothesis blocks progress. Key Takeaway Stay open to saying no. Themes scientific method bias critical thinking Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - research projects - grant proposals - theoretical work Key Concepts confirmation bias hypothesis testing Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when a hypothesis is hindering you? - What strategies help you detach from favored ideas? A Different Perspective A hypothesis may still be useful even if not fully proven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Fall in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-in-love/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-affair/) [Pet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pet/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [Most modern biologists, having reviewed with satisfaction the downfall of the spontaneous generation hypothesis, yet unwilling to accept the alternative belief in special creation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/most-modern-biologists-having-reviewed-with-satisfaction-the-downfall/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/it-is-a-good-morning-exercise-for-a-research-scientist-to-discard-a/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“Don't let expectations distort reality. You would be wasting a very precious time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-maufroy/don-t-let-expectations-distort-reality-you-would-be-wasting-a-very/) [Muriel Maufroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-maufroy/) > [Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince the person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/life-is-too-short-to-spend-your-precious-time-trying-to-convince-the/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Talent is important, and some background as well. This really is not beginner's school. 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