Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quoteShare via Email Print this Page Daily Quotes Archives2008-12-21 Dec 19, 2008The truth is sometimes a poor competitor in the market place of ideas -- complicated, unsatisfying, full of dilemmas, always vulnerable to misinterpretation and abuse.~ George F. KennanWe don't know who discovered water, but we are certain it wasn't a fish.~ John CulkinBeyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness.~ Leonardo Da Vinci Dec 18, 2008At the heart of science is an essential tension between two seemingly contradictory attitudes -- an openness to new ideas, no matter how bizarre or counterintuitive they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new. This is how deep truths are winnowed from deep nonsense.~ Carl SaganIf you want to know the big 'T' Truth, tell the little 't' truth without fail. Then listen closely to what you say.~ Eric SchaubAll truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Dec 17, 2008Freedom of expression is the well-spring of our civilization... The history of civilization is in considerable measure the displacement of error which once held sway as official truth by beliefs which in turn have yielded to other truths. Therefore the liberty of man to search for truth ought not to be fettered, no matter what orthodoxies he may challenge.~ Felix FrankfurterThe life of a thinking man will probably be divided into two parts -- the first in which he desires to exterminate modern thinkers, and the second in which he desires to watch them exterminating each other. ... Suppose, for instance, there is an old story and a new skeptic who is skeptical of the story. We have only to wait a little while for a yet newer skeptic who is skeptical of the skeptic. He will probably find the old notion actually a help in his new notion. This process is an abstract truth applying to anything, apart from agreement or disagreement.~ Gilbert Keith ChestertonHe who sees the truth, let him proclaim it, without asking who is for it or who is against it.~ Henry George Dec 16, 2008Thought that is silenced is always rebellious. Majorities, of course, are often mistaken. This is why the silencing of minorities is necessarily dangerous. Criticism and dissent are the indispensable antidote to major delusions.~ Alan BarthA lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt dangerous.~ Alfred AdlerThe argument against the persecution of opinion does not depend upon what the excuse for persecution may be. The argument is that we none of us know all truth, that the discovery of new truth is promoted by free discussion and rendered very difficult by suppression.~ Bertrand Russell Dec 15, 2008The road to tyranny, we must never forget, begins with the destruction of the truth.~ Bill ClintonHistory is written by the victor.~ Latin ProverbHistory is fables agreed upon.~ Voltaire Previous week's quotes Next week's quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print