--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when…" description: "\"Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when it comes to defining in some abstract way what is meant by 'truth'. But so is everybody else. I am no more fun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/richard-dawkins-115_abandon_maybe-scientists-are-fundamentalist-when_3094287.jpg" --- # Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when it comes to… ![“Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when it comes to defining in some abstract way what is meant by 'truth'. But so is everybody else. I am no more fundamentalist when I say evolution is true than when I say it is true that New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere. We believe in evolution because…” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/richard-dawkins-115_abandon_maybe-scientists-are-fundamentalist-when_3094287.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/richard-dawkins-115_abandon_maybe-scientists-are-fundamentalist-when_3094287.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/richard-dawkins-115_abandon_maybe-scientists-are-fundamentalist-when_3094287.jpg) > “Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when it comes to defining in some abstract way what is meant by 'truth'. But so is everybody else. I am no more fundamentalist when I say evolution is true than when I say it is true that New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere. We believe in evolution because the evidence supports it, and we would abandon it overnight if new evidence arose to disprove it.” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth claims require evidence; scientific beliefs are provisional, not dogmatic. **In simple terms:** Science follows evidence, not doctrine. Key Takeaway Base beliefs on evidence, stay open to change. Themes science epistemology humility Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research debates - policy making - education - personal belief revision Key Concepts falsifiability empiricism paradigm shift Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate evidence‑based belief from faith? - What would you change if new evidence disproved a core belief? A Different Perspective Science can be misused to claim absolute certainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abandon/) [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-evolution/) [Defining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Evolution True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution-true-1822239/) [Fundamentalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalist/) [Fundamentalist Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalist-say-5334853/) [Hemisphere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hemisphere/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientists Fundamentalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists-fundamentalist-5334852/) [Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“In his own way the modernist becomes as irrelevant as the fundamentalist. The fundamentalist has something to say to his world, but he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-hordern/in-his-own-way-the-modernist-becomes-as-irrelevant-as-the/) [William E. Hordern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-hordern/) > [It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-absolutely-safe-to-say-that-if-you-meet-somebody-who-claims-not/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [But what, after all, is faith? It is a state of mind that leads people to believe something - it doesn't matter what -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/but-what-after-all-is-faith-it-is-a-state-of-mind-that-leads-people/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [You cannot be both sane and well educated and disbelieve in evolution. The evidence is so strong that any sane, educated person has got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/you-cannot-be-both-sane-and-well-educated-and-disbelieve-in-evolution/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Are you an evolutionist? I’m an absurdist, ma’am. But let’s suppose evolution is true; what about the monkeys today? Why can’t we see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-wheeler/are-you-an-evolutionist-i-m-an-absurdist-ma-am-but-let-s-suppose/) [Harrison Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-wheeler/) > [Even if evolution were true, it wouldn't disprove God. God has performed more spectacular feats than evolution. It's not even a daunting challenge to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/even-if-evolution-were-true-it-wouldn-t-disprove-god-god-has/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [No science is ever frightening to Christians. Religious people don't need the science to come out any particular way on IQ or AIDS or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/no-science-is-ever-frightening-to-christians-religious-people-don-t/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [If evolution is true, you could not know that it’s true because your brain is nothing but chemicals. Think about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-hovind/if-evolution-is-true-you-could-not-know-that-it-s-true-because-your/) [Kent Hovind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-hovind/) > [I see love as an evolution of true friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-see-love-as-an-evolution-of-true-friendship/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Evolution is true, it happens, it is the way the world is, and we too are one of its products. This does not mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-conway-morris/evolution-is-true-it-happens-it-is-the-way-the-world-is-and-we-too/) [Simon Conway Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-conway-morris/) > [Darwin's Theory of Earth's Evolution is not true since Human Race is all over universe and every matured earth gives birth to nascent earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/darwin-s-theory-of-earth-s-evolution-is-not-true-since-human-race-is/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Deep down, all of us are probably aware that some kind of mystical evolution is our true task. Yet we suppress the notion with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/deep-down-all-of-us-are-probably-aware-that-some-kind-of-mystical/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Dilbert: Evolution must be true because it is a logical conclusion of the scientific method. Dogbert: But science is based on the irrational belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/dilbert-evolution-must-be-true-because-it-is-a-logical-conclusion-of/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Although God believers don't need evolution to be false, atheists need evolution to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/although-god-believers-don-t-need-evolution-to-be-false-atheists-need/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) ## More by Richard Dawkins > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. 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And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What's going to happen when I die? I may be buried, or I may be cremated, I may give my body to science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-die-i-may-be-buried-or-i-may-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-seen-that-living-things-are-too-improbable-and-too/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-will-not-go-quietly-away-if-in-the-future-that-requires-violence/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. 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Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. 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