Quote by Jean Rostand
When a scientist is ahead of his times, it is often through misunderstanding of current, rather than intuition of future truth. In science there is never any error so gross that it won't one day, from some perspective, appear prophetic.
Summary
This quote suggests that when a scientist seems to be ahead of their time, it is often because they misunderstood the current understanding of their field rather than having a direct insight into future knowledge. It implies that in the realm of science, no mistake is too grave, because eventually, it may be seen as a prediction of future discoveries by others. In other words, even errors and misconceptions in scientific research can indirectly contribute to future advancements and be interpreted as prophecies from a different perspective.
Topics
Science
By Jean Rostand