The Royal Society was created in 1660 in London by a group of philosophers, scientists, and thinkers. It is widely considered the first scientific academy, meaning it was the first formal organization devoted to using systematic experimentation and observation to produce knowledge. Its founders wanted to establish an institution that challenged prevailing authorities and accepted sources of truth.
At the time, much of what was considered knowledge came from Christian theology and from ancient writers such as Aristotle and Plato. These ideas were treated as authoritative and largely unquestionable. Universities and religious institutions emphasized interpretation of established texts rather than experimentation or empirical testing. There was little institutional incentive to correct errors or discover new truths when doing so risked challenging religious or political power.
That is why the Society was formed. Its purpose was to question existing knowledge and to create new knowledge through observation, experimentation, and evidence. The concept of science itself was still emerging. Science was not a body of facts but a method. It was and still is a way to test claims, run experiments, observe the natural world, and revise conclusions when the evidence demands it.
The motto of the Royal Society, which still stands today, is “Nullius in verba,” commonly translated as “take no one’s word for it.” The phrase captures a radical idea for its time: truth should not depend on authority, reputation, or tradition, but on evidence that can be examined and tested.
There is a clear lesson in that today. We live in a highly polarized world with an overwhelming flow of information from articles, books, social media, podcasts, and network television. Much of this information is designed to persuade, promote a narrative, or trigger an emotional response. A significant portion is misleading, selectively framed, or outright false.
The response should be the same one the Royal Society advocated centuries ago. Take no one’s word for it. Draw your own conclusions. Trust but verify. Do your own research. Seek out people who are thoughtful, independent, and intellectually honest, and lean on them when forming views. Question assumptions, question incentives, and question authority. In the end, the principle remains the same: take no one’s word for it.