--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the…" description: "\"Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into preformed establishment modes that say this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png" --- # Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the… ![“Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into preformed establishment modes that say this is the only way of doing science, the only valid view.” quote by Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png) > “Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into preformed establishment modes that say this is the only way of doing science, the only valid view.” [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science thrives on questioning, yet institutional pressures can enforce rigid, dogmatic approaches that stifle innovation. **In simple terms:** Science needs doubt, but can become too rigid. Key Takeaway Encourage open debate and diverse methods. Themes skepticism institutional pressure innovation Mood critical reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - grant reviews - academic conferences - policy making Key Concepts scientific method paradigm shift cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions balance standards with flexibility? - What mechanisms protect minority scientific views? A Different Perspective Rigid structures may hinder breakthroughs and marginalize alternative ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [I tend to be very skeptical and judgmental. I'm not really a conspiracy theorist, but I'm more likely to believe the people that speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/i-tend-to-be-very-skeptical-and-judgmental-i-m-not-really-a/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [Conservatives tend to be very skeptical of change. When something could be improved, they often get in the way of those improvements because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-weinstein/conservatives-tend-to-be-very-skeptical-of-change-when-something/) [Bret Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-weinstein/) > [Scientists tend to build a reputation on refuting the theories of those who have gone before. Yet, whatever we hypothesize, observe, measure or record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/scientists-tend-to-build-a-reputation-on-refuting-the-theories-of/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [Scientists tend to resist interdisciplinary inquiries into their own territory. 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F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [Scientists tend to be unappreciated in the world at large, but you can hardly overstate the importance of the work they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/scientists-tend-to-be-unappreciated-in-the-world-at-large-but-you-can/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Think of a single problem confronting the world today. Disease, poverty, global warming... If the problem is going to be solved, it is science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/think-of-a-single-problem-confronting-the-world-today-disease-poverty/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [There is the odd exception, like Albert Einstein, but as a breed, scientists tend not be very good at presenting themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/there-is-the-odd-exception-like-albert-einstein-but-as-a-breed/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Welles and I differed, however, in our interpretation of the results of the Munich Conference, he being optimistic, I skeptical. In a radio address…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/welles-and-i-differed-however-in-our-interpretation-of-the-results-of/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [I am afraid that those comments go back to the late 80's. At that time I was a skeptic - the argument based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/i-am-afraid-that-those-comments-go-back-to-the-late-80-s-at-that-time/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) ## More by Walter Gilbert > [Why do we do basic research? To learn about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/why-do-we-do-basic-research-to-learn-about-ourselves/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Three billion bases of DNA sequence can be put on a single compact disc and one will be able to pull a CD out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/three-billion-bases-of-dna-sequence-can-be-put-on-a-single-compact/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [We know specific genes are turned on in specific cells, but we don't know to what extent this happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/we-know-specific-genes-are-turned-on-in-specific-cells-but-we-don-t/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Early on, it's good to develop the ability to write. 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At that time I was a skeptic - the argument based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/i-am-afraid-that-those-comments-go-back-to-the-late-80-s-at-that-time/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Biology will tell you a lot of things, but there are many that it can not explain and you need to look at physics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/biology-will-tell-you-a-lot-of-things-but-there-are-many-that-it-can/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Error is far more common than fraud which probably comprises 1 percent or a tenth of a percent of the literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/error-is-far-more-common-than-fraud-which-probably-comprises-1/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [The interaction of the variation in our genes is what's responsible for lots of our attributes and vigor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/the-interaction-of-the-variation-in-our-genes-is-what-s-responsible/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Here is a human being; it's me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/here-is-a-human-being-it-s-me/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) [Explore all 25 Walter Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. 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Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into preformed establishment modes that say this is the only way of doing science, the only valid view.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Gilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the-weakness-of-the-community-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Community" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the-weakness-of-the-community-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/walter-gilbert-24058_community_scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the_1526102.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into…” — Walter Gilbert", "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": "Walter Gilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Scientists tend to be skeptical, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the-weakness-of-the-community-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/scientists-tend-to-be-skeptical-but-the-weakness-of-the-community-of/#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 } } ] } ```