One can judge from experiment, or one can blindly accept authority. To the scientific mind, experimental proof is all important and theory is merely a convenience in description, to be junked when it no longer fits. To the academic mind, authority is everything and facts are junked when they do not fit theory laid down by authority.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Science values evidence over authority while academia may prioritize theory. Facts should be kept even if they contradict established rules.
- In plain terms
- Trust experiments more than books or bosses.
- What can you take from it?
- Let facts override old theories.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When did evidence contradict a rule?
- How do you balance old and new knowledge?
Another view
Some institutions rely on authority for stability.
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