Assuming Quote by Roger Cotes
“Those who assume hypotheses as first principles of their speculations…may indeed form an ingenious romance, but a romance it will still be.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Foundations of Calculus, 1720
Treating hypotheses as absolute foundations leads to elegant but potentially unfounded theories, resembling a romance that remains speculative.
In simple terms: Assuming untested ideas as truths creates beautiful but uncertain theories.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions before building theories.
Themes
science
philosophy
critical thinking
theory building
Mood
analytical
skeptical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- research design
- academic debate
- model development
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
epistemology
hypothesis testing
scientific method
Questions to Reflect On
- What core assumptions underlie your current work?
- How can you test these assumptions rigorously?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on unverified premises can mislead conclusions.
![“I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science…It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many flaw[s] & holes as sound parts.” quote by Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/958/charles-darwin-507_bounds_i-am-quite-conscious-that-my-speculation_35382.jpg)
![“It's complementary. It's fairly clear where the boundaries are. When I start telling you the contents of his head, I am making it up. But I try to make it up based on what is on the record. So even my wildest speculations [on Thomas Cromwell] will have a root somewhere.” quote by Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/04a/hilary-mantel-440_boundaries_it-s-complementary-it-s-fairly-clear-whe_1438633.jpg)
![“There are no detailed Darwinian accounts for the evolution of any fundamental biochemical or cellular system, only a variety of wishful speculations [Article : "In the Details . . . What?"]” quote by James A. Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/james-a-shapiro-103398_biology_there-are-no-detailed-darwinian-accounts_1010762.jpg)
