Aim Quote by William Kingdon Clifford
“The aim of scientific thought, then, is to apply past experience to new circumstances; the instrument is an observed uniformity in the course of events. By the use of this instrument it gives us information transcending our experience, it enables us to infer things that we have not seen from things that we have seen; and the evidence for the truth of that information depends on our supposing that the uniformity holds good beyond our experience.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Ethics of Belief, William Kingdon Clifford, 1877
Scientific reasoning uses observed regularities to predict unseen phenomena, assuming consistency beyond experience.
In simple terms: Science predicts new things by trusting patterns.
Key Takeaway
Apply known patterns to new problems cautiously.
Themes
science
prediction
uniformity
reasoning
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- engineering
- medicine
- forecasting
- policy making
- innovation
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
induction
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you relied on a pattern that broke down?
- How do you test the limits of assumed uniformity?
A Different Perspective
Uniformity may fail in complex systems, leading to false predictions.
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