--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science probes; it does not prove…" description: "\"Science probes; it does not prove. Imagine Newton's reaction to an objector of his law of gravity who argued that he could not establish a universal la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/robert-m-pirsig-817_apples_science-probes-it-does-not-prove-imagine_1107728.png" --- # Science probes; it does not prove. Imagine Newton's… ![“Science probes; it does not prove. Imagine Newton's reaction to an objector of his law of gravity who argued that he could not establish a universal law because he had not observed every falling apple, much less proved the law of gravity - there might, after all, be an apple that levitates! Why…” quote by Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/robert-m-pirsig-817_apples_science-probes-it-does-not-prove-imagine_1107728.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/robert-m-pirsig-817_apples_science-probes-it-does-not-prove-imagine_1107728.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/robert-m-pirsig-817_apples_science-probes-it-does-not-prove-imagine_1107728.png) > “Science probes; it does not prove. Imagine Newton's reaction to an objector of his law of gravity who argued that he could not establish a universal law because he had not observed every falling apple, much less proved the law of gravity - there might, after all, be an apple that levitates! Why should a group of simple, stable compounds of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen struggle for billions of years to organize themselves into a professor of chemistry?” [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science can suggest possibilities, but without exhaustive evidence it cannot claim absolute certainty. **In simple terms:** Science proposes ideas, not absolute proof. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and keep testing. Themes science philosophy uncertainty methodology Mood thoughtful cautious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - research design - policy making - education - public discourse Key Concepts empiricism falsifiability theory testing Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance skepticism with progress? - When is it acceptable to act on incomplete data? A Different Perspective Absolute certainty is unattainable; overconfidence can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Billions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billions/) [Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Compounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compounds/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-prove-1266953/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Gravity Argued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity-argued-2935096/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Hydrogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hydrogen/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-gravity/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton/) [Newton Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton-reaction-2935097/) [Nitrogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nitrogen/) [Organize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organize/) [Oxygen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxygen/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactions/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Stable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stable/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-laws/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [One could almost define life as the organized disobedience of the law of gravity. One could show that the degree to which an organism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/one-could-almost-define-life-as-the-organized-disobedience-of-the-law/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“The law of gravity and gravity itself did not exist before Isaac Newton." ...and what that means is that that law of gravity exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-law-of-gravity-and-gravity-itself-did-not-exist-before-isaac/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Why, for example, should a group of simple, stable compounds of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen struggle for billions of years to organise themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/why-for-example-should-a-group-of-simple-stable-compounds-of-carbon/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Science probes; it does not prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/science-probes-it-does-not-prove/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [The exception does not prove the rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-suster/the-exception-does-not-prove-the-rule/) [Mark Suster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-suster/) > [One does not have to prove a negative. One should assume a negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eller/one-does-not-have-to-prove-a-negative-one-should-assume-a-negative/) [David Eller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eller/) > [Macho does not prove mucho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/macho-does-not-prove-mucho/) [Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/) > [It does not prove a thing to be right because the majority say it is so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-does-not-prove-a-thing-to-be-right-because-the-majority-say-it-is/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Always believe in yourself when no one else does because you can prove them wrong and show them how strong you really are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/always-believe-in-yourself-when-no-one-else-does-because-you-can/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [What does it prove, running in the AAU meet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/what-does-it-prove-running-in-the-aau-meet/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [If laws were real they wouldn’t need to be enforced, because if they were real they couldn’t be broken. Try breaking the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/if-laws-were-real-they-wouldn-t-need-to-be-enforced-because-if-they/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [“He was always running or bounding, never just walking. He seemed always at the point of defeating the law of gravity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/he-was-always-running-or-bounding-never-just-walking-he-seemed-always/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Painting something that defies the law of the land is good. Painting something that defies the law of the land and the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/painting-something-that-defies-the-law-of-the-land-is-good-painting/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“I may wish to return to my home in England, and I stand in New York, but ever since I was born I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-ian-thomas/i-may-wish-to-return-to-my-home-in-england-and-i-stand-in-new-york/) [W. Ian Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-ian-thomas/) > [So, I'm not the only one who believes that there is such a thing as "the law of gravity," and if it's a law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/so-i-m-not-the-only-one-who-believes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) ## More by Robert M. Pirsig > [“And from time to time you find your “county road” takes you onto a two-rutter and then a single rutter and then into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/and-from-time-to-time-you-find-your-county-road-takes-you-onto-a-two/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“I started to roll over for more sleep but heard a rooster crowing and then became aware we are on vacation and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/i-started-to-roll-over-for-more-sleep-but-heard-a-rooster-crowing-and/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The Buddha, the Godhead, resides quite as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-buddha-the-godhead-resides-quite-as-comfortably-in-the-circuits/) [Robert M. 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Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [There is a perennial classical question that asks which part of the motorcycle, which grain of sand in which pile, is the Buddha. Obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/there-is-a-perennial-classical-question-that-asks-which-part-of-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“Of the value traps, the most widespread and pernicious is value rigidity. This is an inability to revalue what one sees because of commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/of-the-value-traps-the-most-widespread-and-pernicious-is-value/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“Historically mystics have claimed that for a true understanding of reality metaphysics is too “scientific”. Metaphysics is not reality. Metaphysics is names about reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/historically-mystics-have-claimed-that-for-a-true-understanding-of/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“What’s emerging from the pattern of my own life is the for belief that the crisis is being caused by the inadequacy of existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-s-emerging-from-the-pattern-of-my-own-life-is-the-for-belief/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [To speak of certain government and establishment institutions as 'the system' is to speak correctly . . . They are sustained by structural relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/to-speak-of-certain-government-and-establishment-institutions-as-the/) [Robert M. 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Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Even in the presence of others he was completely alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/even-in-the-presence-of-others-he-was-completely-alone/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) [Explore all 351 Robert M. Pirsig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. If I'm at his house, I don't like to take food from him, if it's in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-a-friend-who-is-a-juggler-if-i-m-at-his-house-i-don-t-like-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) [Horace Dediu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-dediu/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. 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