--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There needs to be a public dawning - and…" description: "\"There needs to be a public dawning - and it is beginning to dawn on some members of the public - that how science is practiced actually makes a differe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/rush-d-holt-jr-36215_assertion_there-needs-to-be-a-public-dawning-and-i_112882.jpg" --- # There needs to be a public dawning - and it is beginning… ![“There needs to be a public dawning - and it is beginning to dawn on some members of the public - that how science is practiced actually makes a difference in their lives. If evidence becomes optional, if ideological assertions or beliefs are just as good as scientifically vetted evidence, then…” quote by Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/rush-d-holt-jr-36215_assertion_there-needs-to-be-a-public-dawning-and-i_112882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/rush-d-holt-jr-36215_assertion_there-needs-to-be-a-public-dawning-and-i_112882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/rush-d-holt-jr-36215_assertion_there-needs-to-be-a-public-dawning-and-i_112882.jpg) > “There needs to be a public dawning - and it is beginning to dawn on some members of the public - that how science is practiced actually makes a difference in their lives. If evidence becomes optional, if ideological assertions or beliefs are just as good as scientifically vetted evidence, then their quality of life suffers. I think that's dawning on people. There's a level of concern unlike anything I've seen.” [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that when scientific rigor is replaced by personal belief, public policy and daily life suffer, and that awareness of this shift is emerging. **In simple terms:** Science matters; ignoring evidence harms society. Key Takeaway Evidence‑based decision‑making is essential. Themes science public policy evidence societal impact Mood concerned urgent Type political cautionary When to use this quote - healthcare guidelines - environmental regulation - education curricula Key Concepts epistemic responsibility cognitive bias Practical Applications - Promote transparent peer review - Teach critical thinking in schools Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance expertise with public input? - What mechanisms ensure evidence remains central? A Different Perspective Some argue that lived experience can complement data, but without rigorous validation it may mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assertion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertion/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evidence Optional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence-optional-1336435/) [Ideological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideological/) [Ideological Assertions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideological-assertions-1336437/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Optional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optional/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Public Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-science-849380/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Practiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-practiced-1336438/) [Scientifically Vetted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientifically-vetted-1336436/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Skeptics, who flatly deny the existence of any unexplained phenomenon in the name of 'rationalism,' are among the primary contributors to the rejection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-vallee/skeptics-who-flatly-deny-the-existence-of-any-unexplained-phenomenon/) [Jacques Vallee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-vallee/) > [As religion is now practiced and science is now practiced, there is no intersection between the two. That is for certain. And it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/as-religion-is-now-practiced-and-science-is-now-practiced-there-is-no/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [There seems to be a concern about whether the public appreciation of science has eroded to a point where it has removed science from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/there-seems-to-be-a-concern-about-whether-the-public-appreciation-of/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [Pain in life is inevitable but suffering is not. Pain is what the world does to you, suffering is what you do to yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/pain-in-life-is-inevitable-but-suffering-is-not-pain-is-what-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Bearing one another’s burdens is not easy, but it is also not optional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/bearing-one-another-s-burdens-is-not-easy-but-it-is-also-not-optional/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Of all the components of the ecosystem, humans are the only ones we know to be completely optional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-hammond/of-all-the-components-of-the-ecosystem-humans-are-the-only-ones-we/) [Herb Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-hammond/) > [Teaching my kids to give back is an essential part of parenting. It's not something that's optional. Compassion is one of the basic values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-snow/teaching-my-kids-to-give-back-is-an-essential-part-of-parenting-it-s/) [Kate Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-snow/) > [Breathing is optional, but I need some air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/breathing-is-optional-but-i-need-some-air/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [I don't have the slightest interest in gold. I like understanding what works and what doesn't in human systems. To me that's not optional;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-don-t-have-the-slightest-interest-in-gold-i-like-understanding-what/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Failing is not real, it's an optional state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/failing-is-not-real-it-s-an-optional-state-of-mind/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [I gave a talk on gender stuff at Facebook one morning and a man didn't come. It was optional; he didn't have to come.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-gave-a-talk-on-gender-stuff-at-facebook-one-morning-and-a-man-didn/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [The Church is the Church in her worship. Worship is not an optional extra, but is of the very life and essence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-torrance/the-church-is-the-church-in-her-worship-worship-is-not-an-optional/) [J. B. Torrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-torrance/) > [Growing older is mandatory, but growing up is optional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brewer/growing-older-is-mandatory-but-growing-up-is-optional/) [Heather Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brewer/) > [Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. Physical pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara/pain-nourishes-courage-you-can-t-be-brave-if-you-ve-only-had/) [Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara/) > [You would think death was an optional extra nowadays. Nobody wants to tick that box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/you-would-think-death-was-an-optional-extra-nowadays-nobody-wants-to/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## More by Rush D. Holt, Jr > [The concern now is whether policymakers even understand the meaning of evidence. Whether there is any truth to this descriptor of "fact-free era." Whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/the-concern-now-is-whether-policymakers-even-understand-the-meaning/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [There is a sense that science and politics are incompatible. I don't think so at all. I think it's important that scientists take great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/there-is-a-sense-that-science-and-politics-are-incompatible-i-don-t/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [Farmers were always generalists. They had to know science and commerce and all sorts of practical things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/farmers-were-always-generalists-they-had-to-know-science-and-commerce/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [It is true that when people are appointed to positions and talk without any appreciation or understanding of scientists, well, that gets scientists worried.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/it-is-true-that-when-people-are-appointed-to-positions-and-talk/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [The Tea Party and the like are about what we can't do, instead of the American ideal of what we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/the-tea-party-and-the-like-are-about-what-we-can-t-do-instead-of-the/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [This whole controversy about global warming or even evolution - politicians just don't want to take the time to educate themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/this-whole-controversy-about-global-warming-or-even-evolution/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [The level of concern and anxiety among scientists - and I guess I'd say the science-friendly public - about the place of science in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/the-level-of-concern-and-anxiety-among-scientists-and-i-guess-i-d-say/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [We know Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin as politicians, but they felt that science was something everyone should have a knowledge of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/we-know-thomas-jefferson-and-benjamin-franklin-as-politicians-but/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [Every citizen, scientists included, has some obligation to be involved in public affairs and politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/every-citizen-scientists-included-has-some-obligation-to-be-involved/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [There seems to be a concern about whether the public appreciation of science has eroded to a point where it has removed science from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/there-seems-to-be-a-concern-about-whether-the-public-appreciation-of/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [One must not politicize science. But the converse is not necessarily true. There's no reason why scientists can not go into the public sphere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/one-must-not-politicize-science-but-the-converse-is-not-necessarily/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) > [Congress, even with its frustrations, is the greatest instrument for justice and human welfare in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-d-holt-jr/congress-even-with-its-frustrations-is-the-greatest-instrument-for/) [Rush D. Holt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) [Explore all 13 Rush D. Holt, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-d-holt-jr/) ## More Assertion quotes > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Metaphysical assertions, however, are statements of the psyche, and are therefore psychological. 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This is done on account of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/when-on-a-sunday-morning-we-hear-the-old-bells-ring-out-we-ask/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Knowledge as a past fact, as something dead and done with—knowledge by the time it gets into encyclopaedias and text-books—does consist of assertion, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood/knowledge-as-a-past-fact-as-something-dead-and-done-with-knowledge-by/) [R. G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood/) > [What causes adolescents to rebel is not the assertion of authority but the arbitrary use of power, with little explanation of the rules and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/what-causes-adolescents-to-rebel-is-not-the-assertion-of-authority/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [Those who know that the consensus of many centuries has sanctioned the conception that the earth remains at rest in the middle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/those-who-know-that-the-consensus-of-many-centuries-has-sanctioned/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [Upon the profound discontent of the young in every country do I set my faith. I beg you, the young, to be discontented. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/upon-the-profound-discontent-of-the-young-in-every-country-do-i-set/) [Pearl S. 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