--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the only thing that can be predicted is…" description: "\"“the only thing that can be predicted is the probability of different events.”\" — Richard P. Feynman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/richard-p-feynman-495_predicted_the-only-thing-that-can-be-predicted-is_1403922.png" --- # the only thing that can be predicted is the probability of… ![“the only thing that can be predicted is the probability of different events.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/richard-p-feynman-495_predicted_the-only-thing-that-can-be-predicted-is_1403922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/richard-p-feynman-495_predicted_the-only-thing-that-can-be-predicted-is_1403922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/richard-p-feynman-495_predicted_the-only-thing-that-can-be-predicted-is_1403922.png) > ““the only thing that can be predicted is the probability of different events.”” [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. He notes that only probabilities of events can be forecasted, emphasizing inherent uncertainty in predictions. **In simple terms:** We can only predict chances, not certainties. Key Takeaway Focus on probabilistic thinking. Themes science uncertainty prediction Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational scientific When to use this quote - risk assessment - weather forecasting - financial markets - medical diagnosis Key Concepts probability theory statistical inference Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle uncertainty? - What tools improve probabilistic decisions? A Different Perspective Probabilities can be misinterpreted as certainties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Predicted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predicted/) [Predicted Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predicted-probability-4927817/) [Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability/) [Probability Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability-different-4927819/) [Thing Predicted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-predicted-4927818/) ## Related quotes > [Thus we can get the correct answer for the probability of partial reflection by imagining (falsely) that all reflection comes from only the front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/thus-we-can-get-the-correct-answer-for-the-probability-of-partial/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It appears that there are enormous differences of opinion as to the probability of a failure with loss of vehicle and of human life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-appears-that-there-are-enormous-differences-of-opinion-as-to-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [In its efforts to learn as much as possible about nature, modern physics has found that certain things can never be "known" with certainty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/in-its-efforts-to-learn-as-much-as-possible-about-nature-modern/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [If a guy tells me the probability of failure is 1 in 100,000, I know he's full of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/if-a-guy-tells-me-the-probability-of-failure-is-1-in-100-000-i-know/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The electron can no longer be conceived as a single, small granule of electricity; it must be associated with a wave, and this wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-broglie/the-electron-can-no-longer-be-conceived-as-a-single-small-granule-of/) [Louis de Broglie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-broglie/) > [We didn't lose as many lives as had been predicted although we're still in the process of finding those we lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-blanco/we-didn-t-lose-as-many-lives-as-had-been-predicted-although-we-re/) [Kathleen Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-blanco/) > [“If we will not be mar-plots with our miserable interferences, the work, the society, letters, arts, science, religion of men would go on far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-be-mar-plots-with-our-miserable-interferences-the-work/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If that enabled us to predict the succeeding situation with the same approximation, that is all we require, and we should say that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-that-enabled-us-to-predict-the-succeeding-situation-with-the-same/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“They predicted sixteen years ago, almost before anyone else, that girls like me - prettier, smarter, healthier - would be the world's most invaluable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/they-predicted-sixteen-years-ago-almost-before-anyone-else-that-girls/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I don't plan my life or analyse things. Nothing can be predicted about the future, no one can put a finger on what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranvir-shorey/i-don-t-plan-my-life-or-analyse-things-nothing-can-be-predicted-about/) [Ranvir Shorey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranvir-shorey/) > [“We can't know if we laugh at ourselves for being silly or to forget that we're not and that we are still here only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcgreevy/we-can-t-know-if-we-laugh-at-ourselves-for-being-silly-or-to-forget/) [Brian McGreevy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcgreevy/) > [We are living in a world in which developments are harder to predict and one that has become more uncertain. In such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/we-are-living-in-a-world-in-which-developments-are-harder-to-predict/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [“I just predicted the future, Small talk = Short Term Relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-just-predicted-the-future-small-talk-short-term-relationships/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [Prominent exploration experts have recently predicted that total world production of liquid oil will peak by about the end of this decade-or a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amory-lovins/prominent-exploration-experts-have-recently-predicted-that-total/) [Amory Lovins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amory-lovins/) > [I, of course, predicted attempt of Donald Trump impeachment back on November 22nd of 2016 year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-of-course-predicted-attempt-of-donald-trump-impeachment-back-on/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Richard P. Feynman > [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Today's brains are yesterday's mashed potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/today-s-brains-are-yesterday-s-mashed-potatoes/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is a language plus reasoning; it is like a language plus logic. Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-a-language-plus-reasoning-it-is-like-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It is necessary for the very existence of science that minds exist which do not allow that nature must satisfy some preconceived conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-necessary-for-the-very-existence-of-science-that-minds-exist/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [All the time you're saying to yourself, 'I could do that, but I won't,'--which is just another way of saying that you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-the-time-you-re-saying-to-yourself-i-could-do-that-but-i-won-t/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There's a big difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) [Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## More Predicted quotes > [I, of course, predicted attempt of Donald Trump impeachment back on November 22nd of 2016 year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-of-course-predicted-attempt-of-donald-trump-impeachment-back-on/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Prominent exploration experts have recently predicted that total world production of liquid oil will peak by about the end of this decade-or a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amory-lovins/prominent-exploration-experts-have-recently-predicted-that-total/) [Amory Lovins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amory-lovins/) > [“I just predicted the future, Small talk = Short Term Relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-just-predicted-the-future-small-talk-short-term-relationships/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [We are living in a world in which developments are harder to predict and one that has become more uncertain. In such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/we-are-living-in-a-world-in-which-developments-are-harder-to-predict/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [“We can't know if we laugh at ourselves for being silly or to forget that we're not and that we are still here only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcgreevy/we-can-t-know-if-we-laugh-at-ourselves-for-being-silly-or-to-forget/) [Brian McGreevy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcgreevy/) > [I don't plan my life or analyse things. Nothing can be predicted about the future, no one can put a finger on what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranvir-shorey/i-don-t-plan-my-life-or-analyse-things-nothing-can-be-predicted-about/) [Ranvir Shorey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranvir-shorey/) > [“They predicted sixteen years ago, almost before anyone else, that girls like me - prettier, smarter, healthier - would be the world's most invaluable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/they-predicted-sixteen-years-ago-almost-before-anyone-else-that-girls/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [If that enabled us to predict the succeeding situation with the same approximation, that is all we require, and we should say that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-that-enabled-us-to-predict-the-succeeding-situation-with-the-same/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“If we will not be mar-plots with our miserable interferences, the work, the society, letters, arts, science, religion of men would go on far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-be-mar-plots-with-our-miserable-interferences-the-work/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We didn't lose as many lives as had been predicted although we're still in the process of finding those we lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-blanco/we-didn-t-lose-as-many-lives-as-had-been-predicted-although-we-re/) [Kathleen Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-blanco/) > [The electron can no longer be conceived as a single, small granule of electricity; it must be associated with a wave, and this wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-broglie/the-electron-can-no-longer-be-conceived-as-a-single-small-granule-of/) [Louis de Broglie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-broglie/) > [The latest scientific assessment has almost doubled the predicted rate of warming if no changes are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/the-latest-scientific-assessment-has-almost-doubled-the-predicted/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Once the automobile appeared you could have predicted that it would destroy as many people as it did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/once-the-automobile-appeared-you-could-have-predicted-that-it-would/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Your future health can be predicted by the nutrient density of your diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-fuhrman/your-future-health-can-be-predicted-by-the-nutrient-density-of-your/) [Joel Fuhrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-fuhrman/) > [The most important advances, the qualitative leaps, are the least predictable. Not even the best scientists predicted the impact of nuclear physics, and everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-most-important-advances-the-qualitative-leaps-are-the-least/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Browse all 106 Predicted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predicted/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the only thing that can be predicted is the probability of different events.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard P. 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