Maurice Allais

1911–2010 · French economist

Topics: learning, scientific method, mathematics

• Any author who uses mathematics should always express in ordinary language the meaning of the assumptions he admits

  — Maurice Allais

• A theory is only as good as its assumptions. If the premises are false, the theory has no real scientific value. The only scientific criterion for judging the validity of a scientific theory is a confrontation with the data of experience.

  — Maurice Allais

• Too many theorists have a tendency to ignore facts that contradict their convictions.

  — Maurice Allais