---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philosophers have said before that one of…"
description: "\"“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing must h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/richard-p-feynman-495_philosophy_philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-o_3624.jpg"
---

#  Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental…

![“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing must happen. This is simply not true, it is not a fundamental condition of science.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/richard-p-feynman-495_philosophy_philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-o_3624.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/richard-p-feynman-495_philosophy_philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-o_3624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/richard-p-feynman-495_philosophy_philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-o_3624.jpg)

> ““Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing must happen. This is simply not true, it is not a fundamental condition of science.””

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Feynman challenges the notion that reproducibility is a universal scientific law, arguing that variability in outcomes can be intrinsic to complex systems rather than a methodological flaw.

**In simple terms:** Reproducibility isn’t a strict rule for all science.

Key Takeaway

Science tolerates genuine variability.

Themes

scientific method reproducibility complexity philosophy of science uncertainty

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

- designing experiments
- reviewing research papers
- teaching scientific philosophy
- grant proposal writing

Key Concepts

empirical testing theoretical modeling system dynamics

Practical Applications

- revising experimental protocols
- informing policy on research standards

Questions to Reflect On

- When is variability acceptable in scientific results?
- How should researchers balance novelty with reproducibility?

A Different Perspective

Critics maintain that reproducibility remains essential for validating claims.

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[Fundamental Condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-condition-279117/) [Fundamental Requisites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-requisites-279118/) [Philosophers Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers-said-279115/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Requisites Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requisites-science-279116/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Set Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-conditions-279119/)

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