--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so…" description: "\"“The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so easy that you ought to smell a rat.”\" — Phillip E. Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/phillip-e-johnson-14758_easy_the-whole-thing-seems-absurdly-easy-so-e_1042980.png" --- # The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so easy that you… ![“The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so easy that you ought to smell a rat.” quote by Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/phillip-e-johnson-14758_easy_the-whole-thing-seems-absurdly-easy-so-e_1042980.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/phillip-e-johnson-14758_easy_the-whole-thing-seems-absurdly-easy-so-e_1042980.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/phillip-e-johnson-14758_easy_the-whole-thing-seems-absurdly-easy-so-e_1042980.png) > ““The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so easy that you ought to smell a rat.”” [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The argument appears trivially simple, yet that simplicity may hide hidden flaws or deception. **In simple terms:** Easy looks can be deceptive. Key Takeaway Question surface simplicity. Themes skepticism critical thinking deception Mood cautious inquisitive Type analytical critical When to use this quote - academic debate - media consumption - policy making - personal decision making Key Concepts philosophy of science argument analysis Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports the claim? - How might bias affect perceived ease? A Different Perspective Simplicity does not guarantee truth; deeper analysis may reveal complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurdly Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdly-easy-2448064/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-easy-377025/) [Easy Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-ought-2448065/) [Smell Rat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell-rat-238831/) ## Related quotes > [The beginning of personal transformation is absurdly easy. We have only to pay attention to the flow of attention itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/the-beginning-of-personal-transformation-is-absurdly-easy-we-have/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [Mr Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I will nip him in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyle-roche/mr-speaker-i-smell-a-rat-i-see-him-forming-in-the-air-and-darkening/) [Boyle Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyle-roche/) > [I didn't want a ghost writer. I've got such a distinctive voice, people would smell a rat, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-carr/i-didn-t-want-a-ghost-writer-i-ve-got-such-a-distinctive-voice-people/) [Alan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-carr/) > [“I smell a rat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/i-smell-a-rat/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [Tweet tweet I smell a rat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/tweet-tweet-i-smell-a-rat/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [When I listen to songs, I can smell a rat. I like songs that speak to me with some deeper truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/when-i-listen-to-songs-i-can-smell-a-rat-i-like-songs-that-speak-to/) [Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/) > [All I can do is say I smell a rat. I don't know where it is or what kind of rat it is, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/all-i-can-do-is-say-i-smell-a-rat-i-don-t-know-where-it-is-or-what/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [For me, writing the 'X-Men' was easy - is easy. I know these people, they're my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/for-me-writing-the-x-men-was-easy-is-easy-i-know-these-people-they-re/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [What is right is not always easy & what is easy is not always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/what-is-right-is-not-always-easy-what-is-easy-is-not-always-right/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“If it wasn’t a mystery, it would be easy. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-it-wasn-t-a-mystery-it-would-be-easy-if-it-were-easy-it-wouldn-t/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [You're so fucking easy.. easy to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/you-re-so-fucking-easy-easy-to-break/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [Rippin' my heart was so easy, so easy, Launch your assault now, take it easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deadmau5/rippin-my-heart-was-so-easy-so-easy-launch-your-assault-now-take-it/) [Deadmau5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deadmau5/) > [Easy come, easy go. easy left me a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/easy-come-easy-go-easy-left-me-a-long-time-ago/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, I'm an easy, easy girl to repair things with. It just takes an apology or a conversation that's true and honest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/you-know-i-m-an-easy-easy-girl-to-repair-things-with-it-just-takes-an/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [Simple make it easy if it's easy to understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/simple-make-it-easy-if-it-s-easy-to-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Phillip E. Johnson > [“Darvinizam je priča o oslobađanju čovječanstva od iluzije da njegovom sudbinom upravlja neka sila viša od njega.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/darvinizam-je-pri-a-o-osloba-anju-ovje-anstva-od-iluzije-da-njegovom/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [In short, the proposition that God was in any way involved in our creation is effectively outlawed, and implicitly negated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/in-short-the-proposition-that-god-was-in-any-way-involved-in-our/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [First, Darwinian theory tells us how a certain amount of diversity in life forms can develop once we have various types of complex living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/first-darwinian-theory-tells-us-how-a-certain-amount-of-diversity-in/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Evolutionary biologists are not content merely to explain how variation occurs within limits, however. They aspire to answer a much broader question-which is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/evolutionary-biologists-are-not-content-merely-to-explain-how/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Materialism sets us free from sin-by proving that there is no such thing as sin. There's just antisocial behavior, which we can control with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/materialism-sets-us-free-from-sin-by-proving-that-there-is-no-such/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [In short, it is not that evolutionary naturalists have been less brazen than the scientific creationists in holding science hostage, but rather that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/in-short-it-is-not-that-evolutionary-naturalists-have-been-less/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [“As students grow more and more accustomed to assuming materialism and naturalism in their academic work, the concept of creation by God gradually tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/as-students-grow-more-and-more-accustomed-to-assuming-materialism-and/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Although I insist that God has always had the power to intervene directly in nature to create new forms, I am willing to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/although-i-insist-that-god-has-always-had-the-power-to-intervene/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [“A second point that caught my attention was that the very persons who insist upon keeping religion and science separate are eager to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/a-second-point-that-caught-my-attention-was-that-the-very-persons-who/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Modernism is typically defined as the condition that begins when people realize God is truly dead, and we are therefore on our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/modernism-is-typically-defined-as-the-condition-that-begins-when/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [“..."science" as defined in our culture has a philosophical bias that needs to be exposed. On the one hand, science is empirical. This means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/science-as-defined-in-our-culture-has-a-philosophical-bias-that-needs/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Scientists have long known that Darwinism is false. They have adhered to the myth out of self-interest and a zealous desire to put down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/scientists-have-long-known-that-darwinism-is-false-they-have-adhered/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [The Intelligent Design movement starts with the recognition that "In the beginning was the Word," and "In the beginning God created." Establishing that point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/the-intelligent-design-movement-starts-with-the-recognition-that-in/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Most importantly, I agree that the truth of these matters should be determined by interpretation of scientific evidence - experiments, fossil studies and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/most-importantly-i-agree-that-the-truth-of-these-matters-should-be/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Science...has become identified with a philosophy known as materialism or scientific naturalism. This philosophy insists that nature is all there is, or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/science-has-become-identified-with-a-philosophy-known-as-materialism/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) [Explore all 45 Phillip E. Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) ## More Easy quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Sometimes life can suck and not be fair ,but we have to deal with it,because we feel we cant do anything but,we can.We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-can-suck-and-not-be-fair-but-we-have-to-deal-with-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I don't know why, but I'm an easy target. And I don't do anything to dispel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-mcginley/i-don-t-know-why-but-i-m-an-easy-target-and-i-don-t-do-anything-to/) [Ted McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-mcginley/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) [Browse all 14,306 Easy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The whole thing seems absurdly easy - so easy that you ought to smell a rat.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Phillip E. 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