"The final outcome cannot be known, either to the originator of a new theory, or to his colleagues and critics, who are bent on falsifying it. Thus, the scientific innovator may feel all the more lonely and uncertain"
About this Quote
The subtext is a quiet defense of uncertainty as an ethical posture. Critics “bent on falsifying” aren’t villains; they’re doing the job science asks of them. But Mitchell also recognizes the psychological asymmetry: the innovator has staked identity and career on an explanatory bet, while colleagues risk little by trying to break it. Falsification is communal; vulnerability is personal.
Context sharpens the sting. Mitchell, a Nobel-winning biochemist associated with the chemiosmotic theory of ATP synthesis, spent years facing skepticism precisely because his proposal rearranged the conceptual furniture of his field. When he writes that the innovator “may feel all the more lonely,” he’s documenting the cost of being early: not just the professional friction, but the existential discomfort of not knowing whether you’re rewriting the textbook or merely mistaken with conviction.
Why it works is its realism. It sanctifies neither the maverick nor the establishment. It frames science as a social system that produces knowledge by manufacturing doubt - and reminds you that doubt has a human face.
Quote Details
| Topic | Science |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Mitchell, Peter D. (2026, January 16). The final outcome cannot be known, either to the originator of a new theory, or to his colleagues and critics, who are bent on falsifying it. Thus, the scientific innovator may feel all the more lonely and uncertain. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-final-outcome-cannot-be-known-either-to-the-130578/
Chicago Style
Mitchell, Peter D. "The final outcome cannot be known, either to the originator of a new theory, or to his colleagues and critics, who are bent on falsifying it. Thus, the scientific innovator may feel all the more lonely and uncertain." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-final-outcome-cannot-be-known-either-to-the-130578/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The final outcome cannot be known, either to the originator of a new theory, or to his colleagues and critics, who are bent on falsifying it. Thus, the scientific innovator may feel all the more lonely and uncertain." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-final-outcome-cannot-be-known-either-to-the-130578/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
