--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contrary to popular accounts, very few…" description: "\"Contrary to popular accounts, very few scientists in the world - possibly none - have a sufficiently thorough, 'big picture' understanding of the clima..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/roy-spencer-30236_accounts_contrary-to-popular-accounts-very-few-sc_391604.png" --- # Contrary to popular accounts, very few scientists in the… ![“Contrary to popular accounts, very few scientists in the world - possibly none - have a sufficiently thorough, 'big picture' understanding of the climate system to be relied upon for a prediction of the magnitude of global warming. To the public, we all might seem like experts, but the vast…” quote by Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/roy-spencer-30236_accounts_contrary-to-popular-accounts-very-few-sc_391604.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/roy-spencer-30236_accounts_contrary-to-popular-accounts-very-few-sc_391604.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/roy-spencer-30236_accounts_contrary-to-popular-accounts-very-few-sc_391604.png) > “Contrary to popular accounts, very few scientists in the world - possibly none - have a sufficiently thorough, 'big picture' understanding of the climate system to be relied upon for a prediction of the magnitude of global warming. To the public, we all might seem like experts, but the vast majority of us work on only a small portion of the problem.” [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spencer points out that most scientists specialize narrowly, so few have a comprehensive view of climate, making broad predictions uncertain. **In simple terms:** Specialists lack full picture; climate predictions are limited. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of expertise and seek interdisciplinary input. Themes climate science expertise limits interdisciplinary collaboration uncertainty Mood cautious informative reflective Type advice philosophical educational When to use this quote - policy making - public communication - research planning - education Key Concepts specialization big picture prediction reliability scientific humility Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve interdisciplinary climate understanding? - What role should experts play in public policy? A Different Perspective Complexity may be oversimplified; public may overestimate expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warming/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When the President was asked about global warming at a public appearance yesterday, he responded by talking about America's addiction to oil. You make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/when-the-president-was-asked-about-global-warming-at-a-public/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [But, when it comes to global warming, the public- at-large really doesn't know whom to believe anymore. And NASA has contributed to that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/but-when-it-comes-to-global-warming-the-public-at-large-really-doesn/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) > [We need a much better understanding of the climate before making policy choices that would impose substantial economic costs on our Nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-a-much-better-understanding-of-the-climate-before-making/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Exploring and colonizing Mars can bring us new scientific understanding of climate change, of how planet-wide processes can make a warm and wet world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/exploring-and-colonizing-mars-can-bring-us-new-scientific/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [The United States will continue its efforts to improve our understanding of climate change - to seek hard data, accurate models, and new ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-united-states-will-continue-its-efforts-to-improve-our/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I certainly know that the NDP and the Liberals talk about understanding climate science; they just haven't put forward anything that suggests they actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/i-certainly-know-that-the-ndp-and-the-liberals-talk-about/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) > [For, with pure water the inversion of cane sugar scarcely proceeds and subsequently it required very thorough, difficult studies before this effect and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-ostwald/for-with-pure-water-the-inversion-of-cane-sugar-scarcely-proceeds-and/) [Wilhelm Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-ostwald/) > [I love you, with a love so great that it simply couldn't keep growing inside my heart, but had to leap out and reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-love-you-with-a-love-so-great-that-it-simply-couldn-t-keep-growing/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [No one can sense his own weakness is at least a small temptation is not allowed to afflict either his body or his soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/no-one-can-sense-his-own-weakness-is-at-least-a-small-temptation-is/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself . . . with incidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-tragedy-is-the-imitation-of-an-action-that-is-serious-and-also-as/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [When you consider the sheer magnitude of investable equities to choose from in the world's emerging markets, you realize that finding one that looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mobius/when-you-consider-the-sheer-magnitude-of-investable-equities-to/) [Mark Mobius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mobius/) > [But we must not underestimate the potency of the mathematical process of abstraction. A surprising variety of things happen to have both magnitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banesh-hoffmann/but-we-must-not-underestimate-the-potency-of-the-mathematical-process/) Banesh Hoffmann > [It was a realization for me when Oprah was talking about New Moon. I was like, "Oh, my god, she's watched a movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/it-was-a-realization-for-me-when-oprah-was-talking-about-new-moon-i/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [The method of magnitude estimation provided a direct measure of sensation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-smith-stevens/the-method-of-magnitude-estimation-provided-a-direct-measure-of/) Stanley Smith Stevens ## More by Roy Spencer > [Nature is not static, but causes its own, internally-generated changes - both in climate and in biological systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/nature-is-not-static-but-causes-its-own-internally-generated-changes/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [Politicians and some of the scientists like to say that there's a consensus now on global warming or the science has been settled, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/politicians-and-some-of-the-scientists-like-to-say-that-there-s-a/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [It is well known that strong to violent tornado activity in the US has decreased markedly since statistics began in the 1950s, which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/it-is-well-known-that-strong-to-violent-tornado-activity-in-the-us/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [“One of the large uncertainties about climate change is the extent to which it changes naturally. This dirty little secret is usually swept under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/one-of-the-large-uncertainties-about-climate-change-is-the-extent-to/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [“The fact that an astronomer knows so little about the inherent uncertainties in different scientific disciplines suggests to me that our current crop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/the-fact-that-an-astronomer-knows-so-little-about-the-inherent/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [Believe it or not, very little research has ever been funded to search for natural mechanisms of warming... it has simply been assumed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/believe-it-or-not-very-little-research-has-ever-been-funded-to-search/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [All scientists should be skeptics. The reason why is that, even with the best of scientific measurements, we can come up with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/all-scientists-should-be-skeptics-the-reason-why-is-that-even-with/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [Al Gore likes to say that mankind puts 70 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every day. What he probably doesn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/al-gore-likes-to-say-that-mankind-puts-70-million-tons-of-carbon/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [I would wager that my job has helped save our economy from the economic ravages of out-of-control environmental extremism. I view my job a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/i-would-wager-that-my-job-has-helped-save-our-economy-from-the/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [ We have no idea what's natural and what's man made. \[...\] There is no fingerprint of human-caused warming. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/we-have-no-idea-what-s-natural-and-what-s-man-made-there-is-no/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [We are now at the point in the age of global warming hysteria where the IPCC global warming theory has crashed into the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/we-are-now-at-the-point-in-the-age-of-global-warming-hysteria-where/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [Temperature measurements in the arctic suggest that it was just as warm there in the 1930's...before most greenhouse gas emissions. Don't you ever wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/temperature-measurements-in-the-arctic-suggest-that-it-was-just-as/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [Twice I have testified in congress that unbiased funding on the subject of the causes of warming would be much closer to a reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/twice-i-have-testified-in-congress-that-unbiased-funding-on-the/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [I finally became convinced that the theory of creation actually had a much better scientific basis than the theory of evolution, for the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/i-finally-became-convinced-that-the-theory-of-creation-actually-had-a/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) > [We see something change in our climate and we blame ourselves ... I don't think we understand what happens. We can watch it happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-spencer/we-see-something-change-in-our-climate-and-we-blame-ourselves-i-don-t/) [Roy Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) [Explore all 17 Roy Spencer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-spencer/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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