Achieve Quote by Robert Anton Wilson
“Belief Systems contradict both science and ordinary "common sense." B.S. contradicts science, because it claims certitude and science can never achieve certitude: it can only say, "This model"- or theory, or interpretation of the data- "fits more of the facts known at this date than any rival model." We can never know if the model will fit the facts that might come to light in the next millennium or even in the next week.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Cosmic Trigger I, Robert Anton Wilson, 1977
Belief systems claim absolute certainty, while science admits models are provisional and subject to revision.
In simple terms: Belief claims certainty; science admits uncertainty.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty, question absolutes.
Themes
philosophy
science
epistemology
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- public policy
- personal belief formation
- education
- media analysis
Key Concepts
relativism
model theory
uncertainty
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance belief with scientific humility?
- What role does uncertainty play in decision making?
A Different Perspective
Science cannot prove future models will hold, limiting predictive confidence.
![“[My wife] liked to collect old encyclopedias from second-hand bookstores, and at one point we had eight of them. When I wrote my first historical novel---back in 1980, before I was online---I used them often as a research tool. For instance, I learned that the Bastille was either 90 feet high or…” quote by Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/75d/robert-anton-wilson-1198_bastille_my-wife-liked-to-collect-old-encyclopedi_864543.jpg)
