Stephen Jay Gould on probability in science

A great quote attributed to Stephen Jay Gould came across my browser window today:

Quote Details: Stephen Jay Gould: In science, ‘fact’ can… – The Quotations Page:

“In science, ‘fact’ can only mean ‘confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.’ I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms.”

Stephen Jay Gould
US author, naturalist, paleontologist, & popularizer of science (1941 – 2002)

Technorati Tags: ,

Published by

Dana C. Leighton, Ph.D.

I am a social psychologist, broadly interested in the psychological basis of peace and conflict. I am working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Program Analyst, leading our survey research to better understand how our disaster response is promoting equity in service delivery, workforce readiness, and recovery and mitigation efforts.