The easiest rationalization for the refusal to seek the truth is the denial that truth exists.
Interpretation
Denial of truth can be a convenient excuse for avoiding the search for it.
Sidney Hook highlights how individuals may refuse to pursue the truth by asserting that truth itself is nonexistent. This quote reflects the tendency of people to rationalize their inaction and intellectual laziness, choosing instead to stay within their comfort zones rather than confronting potentially uncomfortable truths.
In practice
During a debate about the importance of integrity, one might use this quote to emphasize the significance of seeking truth even when it's uncomfortable.
A liberal education will impart an awareness of the amazing and precious complexity of human relationships. Since those relationships are violated more often out of insensitiveness than out of deliberate intent, whatever increases sensitiveness of perception and understanding humanizes life.
Everyone recognizes a distinction between knowledge and wisdom. . . Wisdom is a kind of knowledge. It is knowledge of the nature, career, and consequences of human values. Since these cannot be separated from the human organism and the social scene, the moral ways of man cannot be understood without knowledge of the ways of things and institutions.
In contrast to totalitarianism, democracy can face and live with the truth about itself.
Tolerance always has limits - it cannot tolerate what is itself actively intolerant.
Idealism, alas, does not protect one from ignorance, dogmatism, and foolishness.
The mob that hails the man on horseback, the Caesars and conquering heroes, does not retain its freedoms for long.
Put God in your debt. Every stroke shall be repaid. The longer the payment is with-held, the better for you; for compound interest on compound interest is the rate and usage of this exchequer.
The little word is has its tragedies: it marries and identifies different things with the greatest innocence; and yet no two are ever identical, and if therein lies the charm of wedding them and calling them one, therein too lies the danger.
The savage in man is never quite eradicated.
Keeping books on social aid is capitalistic nonsense. I just use the money for the poor. I can't stop to count it.
I have been brought up open-minded. If I didn't know any people from other countries, I'd think everyone was evil based on news stories. But I know a lot of people, and know that there is no such thing as stark good and evil. Isn't it possible there is the same amount of evil everywhere?
It was for one minute that I saw him, but the hair stood upon my head like quills. Sir, if that was my master, why had he a mask upon his face?
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