--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Common sense … has the very curious…" description: "\"Common sense … has the very curious property of being more correct retrospectively than prospectively. It seems to me that one of the principal criteri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/russell-l-ackoff-12928_anticipate_common-sense-has-the-very-curious-proper_1470365.jpg" --- # Common sense … has the very curious property of being more… ![“Common sense … has the very curious property of being more correct retrospectively than prospectively. It seems to me that one of the principal criteria to be applied to successful science is that its results are almost always obvious retrospectively; unfortunately, they seldom are prospectively…” quote by Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/russell-l-ackoff-12928_anticipate_common-sense-has-the-very-curious-proper_1470365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/russell-l-ackoff-12928_anticipate_common-sense-has-the-very-curious-proper_1470365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b03/russell-l-ackoff-12928_anticipate_common-sense-has-the-very-curious-proper_1470365.jpg) > “Common sense … has the very curious property of being more correct retrospectively than prospectively. It seems to me that one of the principal criteria to be applied to successful science is that its results are almost always obvious retrospectively; unfortunately, they seldom are prospectively. Common sense provides a kind of ultimate validation after science has completed its work; it seldom anticipates what science is going to discover.” [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science often yields results that look obvious after the fact, while common sense rarely predicts discoveries ahead of time. **In simple terms:** Science seems clear after it happens, not before. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of intuition in forecasting. Themes science prediction intuition methodology validation Mood reflective analytical Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - research planning - policy making - technology forecasting - education curriculum design Key Concepts epistemology retrospective insight uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance intuition with rigorous testing? - When should we trust retrospective clarity over prospective doubt? A Different Perspective Common sense can mislead when used as a primary guide for future breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Validation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/validation/) ## Related quotes > [“But the technology is only trivial retrospectively—not prospectively.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/but-the-technology-is-only-trivial-retrospectively-not-prospectively/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The fact that we have been able to develop a successful science, which issues in ever more accurate predictions and broader explanations, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-kornblith/the-fact-that-we-have-been-able-to-develop-a-successful-science-which/) [Hilary Kornblith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-kornblith/) > [The Talker needs attention. 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