Blind commitment to a theory is not an intellectual virtue: it is an intellectual crime.
Interpretation
Blindly following a theory without questioning it is a serious intellectual mistake.
Imre Lakatos emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and skepticism in intellectual pursuits. He suggests that blindly adhering to a theory without questioning or challenging its validity undermines true knowledge and understanding, labeling such commitment an intellectual crime rather than a virtue.
In practice
During a debate on scientific theories, you can use this quote to remind participants to question assumptions.
It would be wrong to assume that one must stay with a research programme until it has exhausted all its heuristic power, that one must not introduce a rival programme before everybody agrees that the point of degeneration has probably been reached.
If even in science there is no a way of judging a theory but by assessing the number, faith and vocal energy of its supporters, then this must be even more so in the social sciences: truth lies in power.
No experimental result can ever kill a theory: any theory can be saved from counterinstances either by some auxiliary hypothesis or by a suitable reinterpretation of its terms.
Philosophy of science without history of science is empty; history of science without philosophy of science is blind.
It is not that we propose a theory and Nature may shout NO; rather, we propose a maze of theories, and Nature may shout INCONSISTENT.
Gratitude is a useless word. You will find it in a dictionary but not in life.
Measure me while I live - after it will be too late.
According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment, just two indications that a transformation is taking place within you toward a higher consciousness. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don't bother you anymore. You become light hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities. And this accelerates to the point where you actually experience the miraculous.
Whenever you're wrong, admit it; Whenever you're right, shut up.
There is only one you. God wanted you to be you. Don't you dare change just because you're outnumbered!
Values spoken without actions taken are merely slogans.
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