--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scientist is indistinguishable from…" description: "\"The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist is more careful.\" — Willard Van Orman Quine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg" --- # The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in… ![“The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist is more careful.” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg) > “The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist is more careful.” [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists share common reasoning with laypeople, but they apply stricter evidential standards. **In simple terms:** Scientists are careful evidence seekers. Key Takeaway Embrace rigorous evidence. Themes science evidence methodology Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - research design - education - public policy Key Concepts philosophy of science critical thinking rigor Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply scientific rigor in daily life? - When is flexibility appropriate? A Different Perspective Rigorous standards may be impractical for everyday decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) [Indistinguishable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indistinguishable/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) ## Related quotes > [In a broad systems sense, an organism's environment is indistinguishable from the organism itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/in-a-broad-systems-sense-an-organism-s-environment-is/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If a lunatic scribbles a jumble of mathematical symbols it does not follow that the writing means anything merely because to the inexpert eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-temple-bell/if-a-lunatic-scribbles-a-jumble-of-mathematical-symbols-it-does-not/) [Eric Temple Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-temple-bell/) > [My work indicated that if we consider smaller and smaller black holes, at some stage, the properties of black holes become indistinguishable from those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashoke-sen/my-work-indicated-that-if-we-consider-smaller-and-smaller-black-holes/) [Ashoke Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashoke-sen/) > [Some racists still reject the plain testimony written in the DNA that all the races are not only human but nearly indistinguishable. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/some-racists-still-reject-the-plain-testimony-written-in-the-dna-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It seemed that everyone else could mate, could fit their parts together in pleasant and productive ways, but that some almost indistinguishable difference in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cameron/it-seemed-that-everyone-else-could-mate-could-fit-their-parts/) [Peter Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cameron/) > [“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Turn it around. What is advanced magic indistinguishable from? Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/any-sufficiently-advanced-technology-is-indistinguishable-from-magic-2/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Effective searching procedures become, when the search-space is sufficiently large, indistinguishable from true creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/effective-searching-procedures-become-when-the-search-space-is/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The act of true giving is indistinguishable from receiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-act-of-true-giving-is-indistinguishable-from-receiving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Any sufficiently badly-written science is indistinguishable from magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-allston/any-sufficiently-badly-written-science-is-indistinguishable-from-magic/) [Aaron Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-allston/) > [Being too early is indistinguishable from being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/being-too-early-is-indistinguishable-from-being-wrong/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [“Never stop acquiring the commonsense, it is as good as the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/never-stop-acquiring-the-commonsense-it-is-as-good-as-the-knowledge/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Sleep, when deep enough, is indistinguishable from vigilance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/sleep-when-deep-enough-is-indistinguishable-from-vigilance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a completely ad hoc plot device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-langford/any-sufficiently-advanced-technology-is-indistinguishable-from-a/) David Langford > [It is within the experience of everyone that when pleasure and pain reach a certain intensity they are indistinguishable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/it-is-within-the-experience-of-everyone-that-when-pleasure-and-pain/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## More by Willard Van Orman Quine > [It is one of the consolations of philosophy that the benefit of showing how to dispense with a concept does not hinge on dispensing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/it-is-one-of-the-consolations-of-philosophy-that-the-benefit-of/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Theory may be deliberate, as in a chapter on chemistry, or it may be second nature, as in the immemorial doctrine of ordinary enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/theory-may-be-deliberate-as-in-a-chapter-on-chemistry-or-it-may-be/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The line that I am urging as today's conventional wisdom is not a denial of consciousness. It is often called, with more reason, arepudiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-line-that-i-am-urging-as-today-s-conventional-wisdom-is-not-a/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Our talk of external things, our very notion of things, is just a conceptual apparatus that helps us to foresee and control the triggerings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/our-talk-of-external-things-our-very-notion-of-things-is-just-a/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The mastery of one's phonemes may be compared to the violinist's mastery of fingering. The violin string lends itself to a continuous gradation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-mastery-of-one-s-phonemes-may-be-compared-to-the-violinist-s/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [“Believing is a disposition. We could tire ourselves out thinking, if we put our minds to it, but believing takes no toll.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/believing-is-a-disposition-we-could-tire-ourselves-out-thinking-if-we/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The strategy of semantic ascent is that it carries the discussion into a domain where both parties are better agreed on the objects (viz.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-strategy-of-semantic-ascent-is-that-it-carries-the-discussion/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Scientific method is the way to truth, but it affords, even in principle, no unique definition of truth. Any so-called pragmatic definition of truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/scientific-method-is-the-way-to-truth-but-it-affords-even-in/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [ Some have said that the thesis \[of indeterminacy\] is a consequence of my behaviorism. Some have said that it is a reductio ad absurdum… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/some-have-said-that-the-thesis-of-indeterminacy-is-a-consequence-of/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Some may find comfort in reflecting that the distinction between an eliminative and an explicative physicalism is unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/some-may-find-comfort-in-reflecting-that-the-distinction-between-an/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [We must not leap to the fatalistic conclusion that we are stuck with the conceptual scheme that we grew up in. We can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/we-must-not-leap-to-the-fatalistic-conclusion-that-we-are-stuck-with/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The word 'definition' has come to have a dangerously reassuring sound, owing no doubt to its frequent occurrence in logical and mathematical writings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-word-definition-has-come-to-have-a-dangerously-reassuring-sound/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Logic chases truth up the tree of grammar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/logic-chases-truth-up-the-tree-of-grammar/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Science is not a substitute for common sense, but an extension of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/science-is-not-a-substitute-for-common-sense-but-an-extension-of-it/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The variables of quantification, 'something,' 'nothing,' 'everything,' range over our whole ontology, whatever it may be; and we are convicted of a particular ontological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-variables-of-quantification-something-nothing-everything-range/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) [Explore all 67 Willard Van Orman Quine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## More Careful quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) Davan Yahya Khalil > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Physical beauty is not everything, but the beauty is more careful than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/physical-beauty-is-not-everything-but-the-beauty-is-more-careful-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think about what you do, if you become self-conscious about it, you've got to be very careful. Because I really like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/if-you-think-about-what-you-do-if-you-become-self-conscious-about-it/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone-2/be-careful-the-friends-you-choose-for-you-will-become-like-them/) W Clement Stone > [A woman who is careful with her words is a gift to all who know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-is-careful-with-her-words-is-a-gift-to-all-who-know-her/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have to be careful to get out before I become the grotesque caricature of a hatchet-faced woman with big knockers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-have-to-be-careful-to-get-out-before-i-become-the-grotesque/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. It's obviously a concern and I've been very careful with my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-james/i-just-have-to-deal-with-it-injuries-if-and-when-problems-happen-it-s/) [Greg James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-james/) > [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) Browse all 2,861 Careful quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist is more careful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from-the-common-man-in-his-sense/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Careful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from-the-common-man-in-his-sense/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_careful_the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from_847320.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist…” — Willard Van Orman Quine", "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": "Willard Van Orman Quine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The scientist is indistinguishable from the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from-the-common-man-in-his-sense/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-scientist-is-indistinguishable-from-the-common-man-in-his-sense/#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 } } ] } ```