--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The test of all knowledge is experiment…" description: "\"The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific truth.\" — Richard P. Feynman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/richard-p-feynman-495_experiment_the-test-of-all-knowledge-is-experiment_2506808.png" --- # The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the… ![“The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific truth.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/richard-p-feynman-495_experiment_the-test-of-all-knowledge-is-experiment_2506808.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/richard-p-feynman-495_experiment_the-test-of-all-knowledge-is-experiment_2506808.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/richard-p-feynman-495_experiment_the-test-of-all-knowledge-is-experiment_2506808.png) > “The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific truth.” [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. Scientific knowledge is validated only through experimental testing. **In simple terms:** Science needs experiments to prove ideas. Key Takeaway Test ideas before accepting them. Themes science methodology skepticism Mood inquisitive analytical Type scientific inspirational When to use this quote - laboratory research - product development - policy making - education curriculum Key Concepts empiricism philosophy of science Questions to Reflect On - What experiment could you design to test a belief? - When should theory guide action without full testing? A Different Perspective Experiments can be limited by technology or ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment/) [Experiment Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment-experiment-1117539/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-experiment-1117538/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-truth/) [Sole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sole/) [Test Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test-knowledge-1117540/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [The test of all knowledge is experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-test-of-all-knowledge-is-experiment/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The principle of science, the definition, almost, is the following: The test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-principle-of-science-the-definition-almost-is-the-following-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Life is the greatest experiment. Each of us is an experiment of one-observer and subject-making choices, living with them, recording the effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/life-is-the-greatest-experiment-each-of-us-is-an-experiment-of-one/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Every great inspiration is but an experiment - though every experiment we know, is not a great inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ives/every-great-inspiration-is-but-an-experiment-though-every-experiment/) [Charles Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ives/) > [The fundamental principle of science, the definition almost, is this: the sole test of the validity of any idea is experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fundamental-principle-of-science-the-definition-almost-is-this/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [What is the fundamental hypothesis of science, the fundamental philosophy? We stated it in the first chapter: the sole test of the validity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/what-is-the-fundamental-hypothesis-of-science-the-fundamental/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The true method of knowledge is experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-true-method-of-knowledge-is-experiment/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Necessity is not the mother of invention. Knowledge and experiment are its parents. It sometimes happens that successful search is made for unknown materials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-r-whitney/necessity-is-not-the-mother-of-invention-knowledge-and-experiment-are/) [Willis R. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-r-whitney/) > [ The \[engineer\] should be equipped with knowledge of many branches of study and varied kinds of learning, for it is by his judgement that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/the-engineer-should-be-equipped-with-knowledge-of-many-branches-of/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Test knowledge through experience, be prepared to make mistakes, and be persistent about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/test-knowledge-through-experience-be-prepared-to-make-mistakes-and-be/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Scientists usually assume that no theory is 100 per cent correct. Consequently, truth is a poor test for knowledge. The real test is utility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/scientists-usually-assume-that-no-theory-is-100-per-cent-correct/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Experiment is the sole source of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/experiment-is-the-sole-source-of-truth/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Experiment is the sole interpreter of the artifices of Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/experiment-is-the-sole-interpreter-of-the-artifices-of-nature/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [The situation in the sciences is this: A concept or an idea which cannot be measured or cannot be referred directly to experiment may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-situation-in-the-sciences-is-this-a-concept-or-an-idea-which/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It is always good to know which ideas cannot be checked directly, but it is not necessary to remove them all. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-always-good-to-know-which-ideas-cannot-be-checked-directly-but/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## 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 Experiment quotes > [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [Your responsibility as an artist is to experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/squarepusher/your-responsibility-as-an-artist-is-to-experiment/) [Squarepusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/squarepusher/) > [Have I got the right to experiment with my child's life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/have-i-got-the-right-to-experiment-with-my-child-s-life/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I picked economics at the end of my undergraduate time because it seemed to be a really nice combination of theory, including mathematical theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/i-picked-economics-at-the-end-of-my-undergraduate-time-because-it/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [As an artiste you want to experiment, meet new people and do different kind of songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/as-an-artiste-you-want-to-experiment-meet-new-people-and-do-different/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I love finding out-of-the-box inspirations and blending them with what I've done in the past. And when I started to experiment with genres, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avicii/i-love-finding-out-of-the-box-inspirations-and-blending-them-with/) [Avicii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avicii/) > [In the Indian film industry, especially those of us who are in mainstream cinema, we invariably play a typical hero's role. More often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-bachchan/in-the-indian-film-industry-especially-those-of-us-who-are-in/) [Abhishek Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-bachchan/) > [In Spain, we mainly use red plum tomatoes, but it is always fun to experiment. Try using a mix of colors or substitute green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-spain-we-mainly-use-red-plum-tomatoes-but-it-is-always-fun-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All life is an experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/all-life-is-an-experiment/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [What will the greatest experiment discover? I have no idea!, maybe nothing!, If we won't check, we will never know. In science there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-seiberg/what-will-the-greatest-experiment-discover-i-have-no-idea-maybe/) [Nathan Seiberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-seiberg/) > [“Life is an experiment in which you may fail or succeed. Explore more, expect least.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/life-is-an-experiment-in-which-you-may-fail-or-succeed-explore-more/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [. . . in the full tide of successful experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-the-full-tide-of-successful-experiment/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The Vanguard Experiment was designed to prove that mutual funds could operate independently, and do so in a manner that would directly benefit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-vanguard-experiment-was-designed-to-prove-that-mutual-funds-could/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) [Browse all 668 Experiment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The test of all knowledge is experiment. 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