George E.P. Box > Quotes

“Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful.”
― George E.P. Box

“Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful”
― George E.P. Box, Empirical Model-Building and Response Surfaces

“All models are wrong, but some are useful.”
― George E. P. Box

“While inexact models may mislead, attempting to allow for every contingency a priori is impractical. Thus models must be built by an iterative feedback process in which an initial parsimonious model may be modified when diagnostic checks applied to residuals indicate the need.”
― George Edward Pelham Box

“Since all models are wrong the scientist cannot obtain a “correct” one by excessive elaboration. On the contrary following William of Occam he should seek an economical description of natural phenomena. Just as the ability to devise simple but evocative models is the signature of the great scientist so overelaboration and overparameterization is often the mark of mediocrity.”
― George E. P Box