--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To function as a citizen, you need to…" description: "\"“To function as a citizen, you need to know a little bit about a lot of different sciences—a little biology, a little geology, a little physics, and so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/robert-m-hazen-36896_education_to-function-as-a-citizen-you-need-to-kno_2834129.jpg" --- # To function as a citizen, you need to know a little bit… ![“To function as a citizen, you need to know a little bit about a lot of different sciences—a little biology, a little geology, a little physics, and so on. But universities (and, by extension, primary and secondary schools) are set up to teach one science at a time.” quote by Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/robert-m-hazen-36896_education_to-function-as-a-citizen-you-need-to-kno_2834129.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/robert-m-hazen-36896_education_to-function-as-a-citizen-you-need-to-kno_2834129.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/robert-m-hazen-36896_education_to-function-as-a-citizen-you-need-to-kno_2834129.jpg) > ““To function as a citizen, you need to know a little bit about a lot of different sciences—a little biology, a little geology, a little physics, and so on. But universities (and, by extension, primary and secondary schools) are set up to teach one science at a time.”” [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding many sciences is essential, but education often isolates them, limiting holistic insight. **In simple terms:** We need broad scientific knowledge. Key Takeaway Pursue interdisciplinary learning. Themes education interdisciplinarity knowledge systems thinking curriculum Mood inquisitive motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - STEM curricula - personal study plans - cross‑disciplinary projects - museum visits Key Concepts cognitive integration holistic education knowledge synthesis Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate multiple sciences daily? - What barriers exist to interdisciplinary study? A Different Perspective Specialization can deepen expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Citizen Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-need-2793453/) [Different Sciences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-sciences-3679188/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Function Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-citizen-275652/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Sciences Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sciences-little-3679189/) [Teach Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-science-1399944/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's unfortunate when people say that there is just one true story of science. For one thing, there are many different sciences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/i-think-it-s-unfortunate-when-people-say-that-there-is-just-one-true/) [Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/) > [The function of a citizen and a soldier are inseparable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/the-function-of-a-citizen-and-a-soldier-are-inseparable/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [It is not the function of government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-function-of-government-to-keep-the-citizen-from-falling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We really have to, as a country, recognize that school is where people get their identity not just as a scholar, or a future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-jealous/we-really-have-to-as-a-country-recognize-that-school-is-where-people/) [Benjamin Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-jealous/) > [The good citizen need not of necessity possess the virtue which makes a good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-good-citizen-need-not-of-necessity-possess-the-virtue-which-makes/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [My administration and officials across the state will continue to work together to help every citizen in need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/my-administration-and-officials-across-the-state-will-continue-to/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [As a citizen, you need to know how to be a part of it, how to express yourself - and not just by voting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/as-a-citizen-you-need-to-know-how-to-be-a-part-of-it-how-to-express/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The world exists, as I understand it, to teach the science of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-world-exists-as-i-understand-it-to-teach-the-science-of-liberty/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I feel it is unnatural and immoral to try to teach science to children in a foreign language They will know facts, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-v-raman/i-feel-it-is-unnatural-and-immoral-to-try-to-teach-science-to/) [C. 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I would assert (given that essentially, everyone will learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-would-teach-how-science-works-as-much-as-i-would-teach-what-science/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We must teach science in the mother tongue. Otherwise, science will become a highbrow activity. It will not be an activity in which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-v-raman/we-must-teach-science-in-the-mother-tongue-otherwise-science-will/) [C. V. Raman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-v-raman/) > [None but a woman can teach the science of herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/none-but-a-woman-can-teach-the-science-of-herself/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Television is just the wrong medium, at least in prime time, to teach science. I think it is hopeless if it insists on behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bernstein/television-is-just-the-wrong-medium-at-least-in-prime-time-to-teach/) [Jeremy Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bernstein/) ## More by Robert M. Hazen > [“we proposed eighteen great ideas of science that we felt framed virtually all discoveries of the natural world and all advances in technology. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/we-proposed-eighteen-great-ideas-of-science-that-we-felt-framed/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“Play that cosmic tape backward, and everything converges down to a point about 13.7 billion years ago. That’s the Big Bang. The light from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/play-that-cosmic-tape-backward-and-everything-converges-down-to-a/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“the education of professional scientists is often just as narrowly focused as the education of any other group of professionals, and scientists are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/the-education-of-professional-scientists-is-often-just-as-narrowly/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“We live in a world that operates according to a few general laws of nature. Everything you do from the moment you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/we-live-in-a-world-that-operates-according-to-a-few-general-laws-of/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“The same kind of situation complicates many public debates, like that over global warming. 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Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“To get a sense of the scale of Earth history, imagine walking back in time, a hundred years per step—every pace equal to more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/to-get-a-sense-of-the-scale-of-earth-history-imagine-walking-back-in/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“For us, scientific literacy constitutes the knowledge you need to understand public issues. It is a mix of facts, vocabulary, concepts, history, and philosophy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/for-us-scientific-literacy-constitutes-the-knowledge-you-need-to/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“Astronomers using powerful telescopes have found that about two of every three stars we see in the night sky are actually binaries—systems in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/astronomers-using-powerful-telescopes-have-found-that-about-two-of/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) > [“Oceans today represent only about 0.02 percent of Earth’s total mass, while the atmosphere is no more than one part per million of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hazen/oceans-today-represent-only-about-0-02-percent-of-earth-s-total-mass/) [Robert M. Hazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) [Explore all 12 Robert M. Hazen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hazen/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. 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(Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. 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