W. Edwards Deming Quotes

Early on, when you're working in a new area of science, you have to think about all the pitfalls and things that could lead you to believe that you had done something when you hadn't, and, even worse, leading others to believe it.

As scientists, we need to not be afraid of the truth.

My complaint is that there are more books and news articles than there are primary scientific papers. I am probably the biggest critic of the hypesters, because it's dangerous when fields get overhyped.

Science is bound, by the everlasting vow of honor, to face fearlessly every problem which can be fairly presented to it.

Pay attention to matters of importance.

The scientist insists on verification; the religious theologian does not; the philosopher sometimes does and sometimes does not

Debunking bad science should be constant obligation of the science community, even if it takes time away from serious research or seems to be a losing battle. One takes comfort from the fact there is no Gresham's laws in science. In the long run, good science drives out bad.

Now is the time for everyone who believes in the rule of reason to speak up against pathological science and its purveyors.

[Kepler] preferred the hard truth to his dearest illusions, and that is the heart of science.

We have a habit in writing articles published in scientific journals to make the work as finished as possible, to cover up all the tracks, to not worry about the blind alleys or describe how you had the wrong idea first, and so on. So there isn't any place to publish, in a dignified manner, what you actually did in order to get to do the work, although, there has been in these days, some interest in this kind of thing.

In a liberal scientific society, to claim that you are above error is the height of irresponsibility.

scientists ... resist ... making more of the data than the data make of themselves.

If you're doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid - not only what you think is right about it; other causes that could possibly explain your results; and things you thought of that you've eliminated by some other experiment, and how they worked -to make sure the other fellow can tell they have been eliminated.

A science only advances with certainty, when the plan of inquiry and the object of our researches have been clearly defined; otherwise a small number of truths are loosely laid hold of, without their connexion being perceived, and numerous errors, without being enabled to detect their fallacy.

I find many of answers in the spiritual realm. That in no way compromises my ability to think rigorously as a scientist.

Scientists generally, not just evolutionary biologists, don't take much for granted.

There are worse sins for a scientist than to be wrong. One is to be trivial

I think that business practices would improve immeasurably if they were guided by "feminine" pinciples, qualities like love, care, and intuition.

Nothing is more irredeemably irrelevant than bad science.

A true conservative is on the side of science.

science progresses by trial and error, and when it is forbidden to admit error there can be no progress.

What have you done with the garden that was entrusted to you?

I care what is actually true, even more than what I hope is true.

The only gratification that science denies to us is deception.

A scientist ought to have a healthy disregard for coincidences.