That which is not measurable is not science. That which is not physics is stamp collecting.
Ernest RutherfordRead
If your result needs a statistician then you should design a better experiment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of good experimental design over reliance on statistical analysis.
Ernest Rutherford suggests that if the results of an experiment depend heavily on a statistician's expertise to interpret or validate them, it indicates that the experiment's design itself may be flawed. This underscores the value of creating robust, well-structured experiments that can yield clear and reliable results without needing excessive statistical manipulation.
Themes
ExperimentDesignStatisticianAnalysisScience
In practice
Example use cases
In a scientific seminar discussing experimental methods, you might quote this to advocate for strong design principles.
More from Ernest Rutherford
All quotes βThe energy produced by the breaking down of the atom is a very poor kind of thing. Anyone who expects a source of power from the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine.
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I am a great believer in the simplicity of things and as you probably know I am inclined to hang on to broad & simple ideas like grim death until evidence is too strong for my tenacity.
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All science is either physics or stamp collecting.
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Now I know what the atom looks like.
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Should a young scientist working with me come to me after two years of such work and ask me what to do next, I would advise him to get out of science. After two years of work, if a man does not know what to do next, he will never make a real scientist.
Ernest RutherfordRead
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