--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: MacArthur himself was more interested in…" description: "\"“MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities among phenomena, because similarities reveal the workings of regular processes…I've already ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg" --- # MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities… ![“MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities among phenomena, because similarities reveal the workings of regular processes…I've already quoted MacArthur's statement that to do science "is to search for repeated patterns, not simply to accumulate facts.” quote by Quammen, David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg) > ““MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities among phenomena, because similarities reveal the workings of regular processes…I've already quoted MacArthur's statement that to do science "is to search for repeated patterns, not simply to accumulate facts.”” [Quammen, David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science seeks recurring patterns to understand underlying laws, not just accumulating isolated facts. **In simple terms:** Science looks for repeats. Key Takeaway Focus on pattern recognition. Themes science methodology patterns knowledge Mood curious inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - data analysis - education - policy making Key Concepts regularities empiricism theory building Questions to Reflect On - What patterns have you missed? - How can we avoid overgeneralizing? A Different Perspective Patterns may be hidden or misleading without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Macarthur Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macarthur-interested-3570955/) [Macarthur Statement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macarthur-statement-3570958/) [Phenomena Similarities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomena-similarities-3570957/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Similarities Phenomena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/similarities-phenomena-3570956/) [Similarities Reveal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/similarities-reveal-3570959/) ## Related quotes > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do research, I read books. I write down everything that I intend to say and this may take several hours. Then when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/i-do-research-i-read-books-i-write-down-everything-that-i-intend-to/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. But research now reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-companies-have-long-contended-that-stress-in-the-home-causes/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [It's wonderful to see more of my colleagues recognizing the importance of investing in STEM education and scientific research and development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/it-s-wonderful-to-see-more-of-my-colleagues-recognizing-the/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [We have to keep in practice like musicians. Besides, there are still potentialities to be realized in color film. To us, it's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/we-have-to-keep-in-practice-like-musicians-besides-there-are-still/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [... 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/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A lot of times I'll show someone a technique I got really good with, but I didn't put all the hours in. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bravo/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-show-someone-a-technique-i-got-really-good-with/) [Eddie Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bravo/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) ## More by Quammen, David > [“The dodo itself stands as the best emblem of this general truth - that insular evolution often involves transforming an adventurous, high-flying ancestor species…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/the-dodo-itself-stands-as-the-best-emblem-of-this-general-truth-that/) [Quammen, David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/) > [“Insularity plus time yields divergence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/insularity-plus-time-yields-divergence/) [Quammen, David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/) > [“Theory in any branch of science entails a risk of detachment from reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/theory-in-any-branch-of-science-entails-a-risk-of-detachment-from/) [Quammen, David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/) [Explore all 4 Quammen, David quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/) ## More Research quotes > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [A lot of times I'll show someone a technique I got really good with, but I didn't put all the hours in. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bravo/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-show-someone-a-technique-i-got-really-good-with/) [Eddie Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bravo/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [... 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/) > [We have to keep in practice like musicians. Besides, there are still potentialities to be realized in color film. To us, it's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/we-have-to-keep-in-practice-like-musicians-besides-there-are-still/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [It's wonderful to see more of my colleagues recognizing the importance of investing in STEM education and scientific research and development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/it-s-wonderful-to-see-more-of-my-colleagues-recognizing-the/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. But research now reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-companies-have-long-contended-that-stress-in-the-home-causes/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I do research, I read books. I write down everything that I intend to say and this may take several hours. Then when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/i-do-research-i-read-books-i-write-down-everything-that-i-intend-to/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) [Browse all 5,204 Research quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities among phenomena, because similarities reveal the workings of regular processes…I've already quoted MacArthur's statement that to do science \"is to search for repeated patterns, not simply to accumulate facts.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quammen, David" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in-the-similarities-among/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Research" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in-the-similarities-among/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/quammen-david-73441_research_macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in_1196501.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“MacArthur himself was more interested in the similarities among phenomena, because similarities reveal the…” — Quammen, David", "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": "Quammen, David", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quammen-david/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“MacArthur himself was more interested in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in-the-similarities-among/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quammen-david/macarthur-himself-was-more-interested-in-the-similarities-among/#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 } } ] } ```