What good were these experiments?" went the skeptic's question. To which Franklin replied, "What good is a new-born babe?" In some versions he continued: "He may be an imbecile, or a man of great intelligence. Let us wait for him to complete his studies before judging him.
by Stacy Schiff (0 Reviews)
In response to skepticism about the value of his experiments, Benjamin Franklin compared them to a newborn baby, suggesting that both have uncertain potential at first glance. He emphasized the importance of patience and the need for time to reveal whether the results would yield significant benefits or insights. Just as a child's future cannot be predicted immediately, the outcomes of his scientific endeavors required time and further development before being judged.
Franklin's analogy serves as a reminder that early stages of innovation or exploration can appear unpromising, but their true value often unfolds later. In doing so, he defended the notion that the worth of scientific inquiry and experimentation should not be preemptively dismissed, as the outcomes may ultimately lead to profound discoveries or contributions.
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