--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Physicians had gone to their graves…" description: "\"Physicians had gone to their graves calling Pasteur a liar, a fool, or worse—without examining evidence which their “common sense” told them was imposs..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/robert-a-heinlein-209_calling_physicians-had-gone-to-their-graves-call_1469703.jpg" --- # Physicians had gone to their graves calling Pasteur a… ![“Physicians had gone to their graves calling Pasteur a liar, a fool, or worse—without examining evidence which their “common sense” told them was impossible.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/robert-a-heinlein-209_calling_physicians-had-gone-to-their-graves-call_1469703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/robert-a-heinlein-209_calling_physicians-had-gone-to-their-graves-call_1469703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/robert-a-heinlein-209_calling_physicians-had-gone-to-their-graves-call_1469703.jpg) > “Physicians had gone to their graves calling Pasteur a liar, a fool, or worse—without examining evidence which their “common sense” told them was impossible.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists dismissed new ideas as absurd, ignoring evidence, illustrating how entrenched authority can resist paradigm shifts. **In simple terms:** Authority can block progress by clinging to outdated beliefs. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and seek evidence before dismissing ideas. Themes science skepticism authority innovation paradigm shift Mood cautious inquisitive Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - research funding decisions - peer review processes - public health policy - technology development Key Concepts cognitive bias groupthink scientific method Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms protect against premature acceptance? - How can dissent be constructively integrated? A Different Perspective Resistance may stem from legitimate concerns about safety or ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Pasteur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pasteur/) [Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicians/) ## Related quotes > [Many older physicians had gone to their graves calling Pasteur a liar, a fool, or worse---and without examining evidence which their “common sense” told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/many-older-physicians-had-gone-to-their-graves-calling-pasteur-a-liar/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Whoever said that childhood is the happiest time of your life is a liar, or a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/whoever-said-that-childhood-is-the-happiest-time-of-your-life-is-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“In 1902, Marcellin P. Berthelot , often called the founder of modern organic chemistry, was one of France's most celebrated scientists—if not the world's.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-wilcox/in-1902-marcellin-p-berthelot-often-called-the-founder-of-modern/) Robert K. Wilcox > [“Pasteur equally as mischief-makers. As late as 1883, Michel Peter, a Parisian physician held in high esteem by his colleagues, went so far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-goetz/pasteur-equally-as-mischief-makers-as-late-as-1883-michel-peter-a/) Thomas Goetz > [A body of work such as Pasteur's is inconceivable in our time: no man would be given a chance to create a whole science.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/a-body-of-work-such-as-pasteur-s-is-inconceivable-in-our-time-no-man/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [“In the course of an extended investigation into the nature of inflammation, and the healthy and morbid conditions of the blood in relation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lister/in-the-course-of-an-extended-investigation-into-the-nature-of/) [Joseph Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lister/) > [Disease an never be conquered, can never be quelled by emotion's willful screaming or faith's symbolic prayer. It can only be conquered by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/disease-an-never-be-conquered-can-never-be-quelled-by-emotion-s/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [Pasteur will be celebrated almost as a God-like figure. This is when the moon completes her great cycle, but by other rumors, he shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nostradamus/pasteur-will-be-celebrated-almost-as-a-god-like-figure-this-is-when/) [Nostradamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nostradamus/) > [“Pasteur had received an honorary degree from the University of Bonn in 1868, but returned it later during the height of French-German tension. “Today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-e-maczulak/pasteur-had-received-an-honorary-degree-from-the-university-of-bonn/) [Anne E. Maczulak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-e-maczulak/) > [“ Lister saw the vast importance of the discoveries of Pasteur . He saw it because he was watching on the heights, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lister-saw-the-vast-importance-of-the-discoveries-of-pasteur-he-saw/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Yet had Fleming not possessed immense knowledge and an unremitting gift of observation he might not have observed the effect of the hyssop mould.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yet-had-fleming-not-possessed-immense-knowledge-and-an-unremitting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My son, all my life I have loved this science so deeply that I can now hear my heart beat for joy. { Commenting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-biot/my-son-all-my-life-i-have-loved-this-science-so-deeply-that-i-can-now/) Jean-Baptiste Biot > [My general theory since 1971 has been that the word is literally a virus, and that it has not been recognized as such because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/my-general-theory-since-1971-has-been-that-the-word-is-literally-a/) [William S. 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Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. 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