--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Still, our creationist incubi, who would…" description: "\"Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts spoil a favorite argument, refuse to yield, and continue to assert the absence of all transiti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png" --- # Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts… ![“Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts spoil a favorite argument, refuse to yield, and continue to assert the absence of all transitional forms by ignoring those that have been found, and continuing to taunt us with admittedly frequent examples of absence.” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png) > “Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts spoil a favorite argument, refuse to yield, and continue to assert the absence of all transitional forms by ignoring those that have been found, and continuing to taunt us with admittedly frequent examples of absence.” [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of transitional fossils stems from bias, ignoring evidence that contradicts favored narratives. **In simple terms:** People ignore evidence that challenges beliefs. Key Takeaway Seek evidence, even if uncomfortable. Themes bias science evidence Mood critical inquisitive Type scientific skeptical When to use this quote - scientific research - public debates - education - media literacy Key Concepts confirmation bias fossil record Questions to Reflect On - What motivates the rejection of contradictory data? - How can we improve scientific literacy? A Different Perspective Science can be politicized, limiting acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-refuse-4987589/) [Continuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuing/) [Creationist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creationist/) [Creationist Incubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creationist-incubi-4987588/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ignoring Continuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignoring-continuing-4987590/) [Incubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incubi-3978502/) [Incubi Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incubi-let-4987591/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Spoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoil/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Taunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taunting/) [Yield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yield/) ## Related quotes > [It's not that I want you to be a certain way--don't you want a boyfriend?" "Why bother with that? Let's find incubi." "Incubi?" "Demons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-s-not-that-i-want-you-to-be-a-certain-way-don-t-you-want-a/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Our creationist detractors charge that evolution is an unproved and unprovable charade-a secular religion masquerading as science. They claim, above all, that evolution generates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/our-creationist-detractors-charge-that-evolution-is-an-unproved-and-2/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Our creationist detractors charge that evolution is an unproved and unprovable charade — a secular religion masquerading as science. They claim, above all, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/our-creationist-detractors-charge-that-evolution-is-an-unproved-and/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Creationist critics often charge that evolution cannot be tested, and therefore cannot be viewed as a properly scientific subject at all. This claim is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/creationist-critics-often-charge-that-evolution-cannot-be-tested-and/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Thus the creationist's favourite question "What is the use of half an eye?" Actually, this is a lightweight question, a doddle to answer. Half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/thus-the-creationist-s-favourite-question-what-is-the-use-of-half-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [If we want to postulate a deity capable of engineering all the organized complexity in the world, either instantaneously or by guiding evolution, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-we-want-to-postulate-a-deity-capable-of-engineering-all-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The main reason for insisting on the universal Flood as a fact of history and as the primary vehicle for geological interpretation is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-main-reason-for-insisting-on-the-universal-flood-as-a-fact-of/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [“A second point that caught my attention was that the very persons who insist upon keeping religion and science separate are eager to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/a-second-point-that-caught-my-attention-was-that-the-very-persons-who/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [ I doubt if there is any single individual within the scientific community who could cope with the full range of \[creationist\] arguments without the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-raup/i-doubt-if-there-is-any-single-individual-within-the-scientific/) [David M. Raup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-raup/) > [I was just at the newly opened Creationist Museum in Kentucky… And they have this exhibit of a giant dinosaur...with a saddle on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-was-just-at-the-newly-opened-creationist-museum-in-kentucky-and/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [That natural selection can produce changes within a type is disputed by no one, not even the staunchest creationist. But that it can transform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/that-natural-selection-can-produce-changes-within-a-type-is-disputed/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [The American creationist movement has entirely bypassed the scientific forum and has concentrated instead on political lobbying and on taking its case to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/the-american-creationist-movement-has-entirely-bypassed-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [I am not a creationist as the term is usually understood. I believe that the earth is billions of years old and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/i-am-not-a-creationist-as-the-term-is-usually-understood-i-believe/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/to-suppose-that-the-eye-could-have-been-formed-by-natural-selection/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) ## More by Stephen Jay Gould > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [... many folks take them seriously because they just 'know' that evolution can never be seen in the immediate here and now. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/many-folks-take-them-seriously-because-they-just-know-that-evolution/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/charles-darwin-viewed-the-fossil-record-more-as-an-embarrassment-than/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-unfortunately-rarely-matches-our-hopes-and-consistently/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [With copious evidence ranging from Plato's haughtiness to Beethoven's tirades, we may conclude that the most brilliant people of history tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/with-copious-evidence-ranging-from-plato-s-haughtiness-to-beethoven-s/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When scientists need to explain difficult points of theory, illustration by hypothetical example - rather than by total abstraction - works well (perhaps indispensably)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/when-scientists-need-to-explain-difficult-points-of-theory/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The truly awesome intellectuals in our history have not merely made discoveries; they have woven variegated, but firm, tapestries of comprehensive coverage. The tapestries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-truly-awesome-intellectuals-in-our-history-have-not-merely-made/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Science simply cannot adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/science-simply-cannot-adjudicate-the-issue-of-god-s-possible/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [But if we laugh with derision, we will never understand. Human intellectual capacity has not altered for thousands of years so far as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/but-if-we-laugh-with-derision-we-will-never-understand-human/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We debase the richness of both nature and our own minds if we view the great pageant of our intellectual history as a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-debase-the-richness-of-both-nature-and-our-own-minds-if-we-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Explore all 341 Stephen Jay Gould quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. 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The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. 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Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts spoil a favorite argument, refuse to yield, and continue to assert the absence of all transitional forms by ignoring those that have been found, and continuing to taunt us with admittedly frequent examples of absence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Jay Gould" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-never-let-facts-spoil-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-never-let-facts-spoil-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be4/stephen-jay-gould-885_absence_still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-n_2225810.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Still, our creationist incubi, who would never let facts spoil a favorite argument, refuse to yield, and…” — Stephen Jay Gould", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen Jay Gould", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Still, our creationist incubi, who would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-never-let-facts-spoil-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/still-our-creationist-incubi-who-would-never-let-facts-spoil-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```