--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science is the belief in the ignorance of…" description: "\"Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts\" — Richard Feynman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg" --- # Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts ![“Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts” quote by Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg) > “Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts” [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It warns that scientific progress relies on questioning authority and recognizing expert limits. **In simple terms:** Science thrives on doubt of experts. Key Takeaway Question assumptions, stay curious. Themes science skepticism learning Mood inquisitive skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - policy debates - education reform - public discourse Key Concepts critical thinking epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify expert claims? - When should you trust expertise? A Different Perspective Experts can be wrong; overreliance may stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-of-experts/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Belief is in ignorance. If you know, you know. And it is good that if you don’t know, know that you don’t know —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/belief-is-in-ignorance-if-you-know-you-know-and-it-is-good-that-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing is more securely lodged than the ignorance of the experts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/nothing-is-more-securely-lodged-than-the-ignorance-of-the-experts/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Another of the qualities of science is that it teaches the value of rational thought, as well as the importance of freedom of thought;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/another-of-the-qualities-of-science-is-that-it-teaches-the-value-of/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [ “\[Chemist Michael\] Polanyi found one other necessary requirement for full initiation into science: Belief. If science has become the orthodoxy of the West, individuals… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rhodes/chemist-michael-polanyi-found-one-other-necessary-requirement-for/) [Richard Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rhodes/) > [“There is a certain hubris to science, a belief that the more we develop technology and the more we learn, the better our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/there-is-a-certain-hubris-to-science-a-belief-that-the-more-we/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [“Science with belief acted the best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-leela-pandey/science-with-belief-acted-the-best/) [Abhishek Leela Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-leela-pandey/) > [“But now science is the belief system that is hundreds of years old. And, like the medieval system before it, science is starting not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/but-now-science-is-the-belief-system-that-is-hundreds-of-years-old/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [In comparing religious belief to science, I try to remember that science is belief also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/in-comparing-religious-belief-to-science-i-try-to-remember-that/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The highest court is in the end one's own conscience and conviction-that goes for you and for Einstein and every other physicist-and before any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-highest-court-is-in-the-end-one-s-own-conscience-and-conviction/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [“My Faith in science is the belief of all that is …"noticeable" ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesham-nebr/my-faith-in-science-is-the-belief-of-all-that-is-noticeable/) [Hesham Nebr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesham-nebr/) > ["True science has no belief," says Dr. Fenwick, in Bulwer-Lytton's 'Strange Story;' "true science knows but three states of mind: denial, conviction, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-blavatsky/true-science-has-no-belief-says-dr-fenwick-in-bulwer-lytton-s-strange/) [H. P. Blavatsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-blavatsky/) > [Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/ignorance-is-the-soil-in-which-belief-in-miracles-grows/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“In spite of being complicated people choose superstitions over common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-spite-of-being-complicated-people-choose-superstitions-over-common/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [... 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/) ## More by Richard Feynman > [“From a long view of the history of mankind-seen from, say, ten thousand years from now-there can be little doubt that the most significant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/from-a-long-view-of-the-history-of-mankind-seen-from-say-ten-thousand/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/everything-is-interesting-if-you-go-into-it-deeply-enough/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“All of our ideas in physics require a certain amount of common sense in their application; they are not purely mathematical or abstract ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/all-of-our-ideas-in-physics-require-a-certain-amount-of-common-sense/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I was an ordinary person who studied hard. There are no miracle people. It happens they get interested in this thing and they learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-was-an-ordinary-person-who-studied-hard-there-are-no-miracle-people/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-dies-except-by-accident-came-to/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“If u think u can u may if u think u can't u r right”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-u-think-u-can-u-may-if-u-think-u-can-t-u-r-right/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“The guy says, “Buddy, the housing situation in Ithaca is tough. In fact, it’s so tough that, believe it or not, a professor had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/the-guy-says-buddy-the-housing-situation-in-ithaca-is-tough-in-fact/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is ... If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/it-doesn-t-matter-how-beautiful-your-theory-is-if-it-doesn-t-agree/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Although my mother didn't know anything about science, she had a great influence on me as well. In particular, she had a wonderful sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/although-my-mother-didn-t-know-anything-about-science-she-had-a-great/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Take this neat little equation here. It tells me all the ways an electron can make itself comfortable in or around an atom. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/take-this-neat-little-equation-here-it-tells-me-all-the-ways-an/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven. The same key opens the gates of hell. And so it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/to-every-man-is-given-the-key-to-the-gates-of-heaven-the-same-key/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“But wait,” he said. “Let’s suppose it returns by advanced waves—reactions backward in time—so it comes back at the right time. We saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/but-wait-he-said-let-s-suppose-it-returns-by-advanced-waves-reactions/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I believe there's nothing in hallucinations that has anything to do with anything external to the internal psychological state of the person who's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-believe-there-s-nothing-in-hallucinations-that-has-anything-to-do/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“My father had the spirit and integrity of a scientist, but he was a salesman. I remember asking him the question "How can a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/my-father-had-the-spirit-and-integrity-of-a-scientist-but-he-was-a/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I started to walk into the bar, and I suddenly thought to myself, “Wait a minute! It’s the middle of the afternoon. There’s nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-started-to-walk-into-the-bar-and-i-suddenly-thought-to-myself-wait/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) [Explore all 54 Richard Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [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/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Feynman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-of-the-experts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-of-the-experts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/richard-feynman-12444_faith_science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-o_1227353.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts” — Richard Feynman", "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": "Richard Feynman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Science is the belief in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-of-the-experts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/science-is-the-belief-in-the-ignorance-of-the-experts/#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 } } ] } ```