# Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science?

"Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science?" is a reaction image sourced from the 1975 British comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where Sir Bedivere asks the line of King Arthur after he correctly identifies a duck during a mock witch trial. Climate skeptic Steven Goddard was among the earliest to repurpose the scene as a meme in November 2012, and by 2019 the still was a fixture on r/DankMemes paired with captions mocking confidently stated nonsense.

## Origin
Sir Bedivere's question appears in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), in the witch trial scene directly after "We Found a Witch, May We Burn Her?"[3]. Villagers want to burn a woman they accuse of witchcraft, and Sir Bedivere (Terry Jones) agrees only after a trial. He reasons that witches burn because they are made of wood, wood floats, so a witch should float the way a duck does. King Arthur (Graham Chapman) supplies the duck answer from the sidelines, and Sir Bedivere responds with the line.

An early use of the scene as a meme dates to November 13, 2012, when climate skeptic Steven Goddard embedded a 2007 YouTube clip of the exchange[1] in a Wordpress post criticizing California cap-and-trade legislation[2]. A full image macro version followed on November 8, 2013, when an unknown Quick Meme user uploaded the familiar caption-over-still format[4].

- **Platform:** Quick Meme / Reddit (viral spread)
- **Creator:** Unknown
- **Date:** 2013

## Overview
Posts pair a still of Terry Jones as Sir Bedivere, head tilted mid-question, with a caption above presenting some confidently stated claim or piece of flawed reasoning[3]. Sarcastic use is standard, with the "wisdom" above the image implied to be obvious, wrong, or self-impressed rather than impressive. A smaller share of posts run the line sincerely, praising a sharp science reply.

Captions tend to be short so the image does the work. Common pairings mock pseudoscience and climate-denial talking points, which lines up with the earliest documented use alongside a California climate article[2]. Within Monty Python fan communities on Reddit, the format also runs as a straight in-joke about Python itself rather than any outside claim[5].

## How to Use
Creators crop the Sir Bedivere still from the witch trial scene and stack a caption above it, usually a confident science claim or dodgy explanation. The image carries the sarcastic read on its own, so captions stay brief. Sincere versions use the same layout to praise a genuinely clever reply.

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science??
It is a reaction image built around a line Sir Bedivere asks King Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, usually paired with a caption above the still to mock a bad take[3].

### Where did Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science? come from?
The line is from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in the witch trial scene after King Arthur correctly identifies a duck as another thing that floats[3].

### What does Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science? mean?
Most posts use it sarcastically to imply the claim above the image is obvious, wrong, or self-impressed, though a smaller share use it as a sincere compliment[3].

### How do you use Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science??
Stack a short caption above the Sir Bedivere still, usually a confident science claim or shaky reasoning, and let the image deliver the sarcastic read[4].

### Is Who are You, Who are so Wise in the Ways of Science? still popular?
After a late-2019 uptick on r/DankMemes and r/HolyGrailMemes, the format stayed a classic Monty Python reaction image on Reddit[7].

## References
1. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7jKfadSeEE](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7jKfadSeEE>)
2. [https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/california-to-prevent-future-hurricanes-through-taxation/](<https://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/california-to-prevent-future-hurricanes-through-taxation/>)
3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/who-are-you-who-are-so-wise-in-the-ways-of-science](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/who-are-you-who-are-so-wise-in-the-ways-of-science>)
4. [http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ukzkz](<http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ukzkz>)
5. [https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/aj3nwd/monty_python_is_a_goldmine_for_memes/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/aj3nwd/monty_python_is_a_goldmine_for_memes/>)
6. [https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/comments/bnuqsc/invest_in_monty_python_to_be_wise_in_the_ways_of/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/comments/bnuqsc/invest_in_monty_python_to_be_wise_in_the_ways_of/>)
7. [https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/e5hxa6/do_not_question_the_elevated_one/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/e5hxa6/do_not_question_the_elevated_one/>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/who-are-you-who-are-so-wise-in-the-ways-of-science
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