# The First Principle Is That You Must Not Fool Yourself and You Are the Easiest Person to Fool by Richard P. Feynman > "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool." > **— Richard P. Feynman**, *1974, Caltech commencement address, 'Cargo Cult Science'* ## Sources and Context - **Direct or authoritative source:** [Caltech commencement address, 'Cargo Cult Science'](https://calteches.library.caltech.edu/3043/) — the linked page contains the quoted wording and supports the recorded attribution and occasion. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Whole Earth|Whole Earth]] - **Article:** [[articles/The End Is Near — AI Doom, Anti-Science Panic, and the Primates Who Sell Technological Exile|The End Is Near — AI Doom, Anti-Science Panic, and the Primates Who Sell Technological Exile]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Greatest Transformation in Human History|The Greatest Transformation in Human History]] - **Article:** [[articles/Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution|Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Science Ecosystem|Science Ecosystem]] ## Share on Social Media ``` "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool." — Richard P. Feynman, 1974, Caltech commencement address, 'Cargo Cult Science' https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-richard-feynman-first-principle-must-fool-yourself ```