Accepted Quote by Thomas Huxley
“Each such answer to the great question, invariably asserted by the followers of its propounder, if not by himself, to be complete and final, remains in high authority and esteem, it may be for one century, or it may be for twenty: but, as invariably, Time proves each reply to have been a mere approximation to the truth tolerable chiefly on account of the ignorance of those by whom it was accepted, and wholly intolerable when tested by the larger knowledge of their successors.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Essays on Evolution and Philosophy, 1875
Ideas presented as final truths often gain authority, but as knowledge expands they reveal themselves as approximations limited by contemporary ignorance.
In simple terms: Truths accepted as final become outdated as knowledge grows.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and seek deeper understanding.
Themes
knowledge
authority
progress
humility
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
skeptical
Type
philosophical
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- policy making
- education curriculum
- public discourse
Key Concepts
epistemology
scientific method
historical change
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you test the limits of accepted ideas?
- What role does humility play in scientific progress?
A Different Perspective
New evidence can overturn long‑held beliefs, causing resistance.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
