The hunter for aphorisms on human nature has to fish in muddy water, and he is even condemned to find much of his own mind.
F. H. BradleyRead
Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe on instinct.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that our instinctual beliefs often require justification that may not be valid.
F. H. Bradley's quote highlights the tendency of humans to seek rational explanations for their instincts or beliefs, often leading to the identification of flawed or 'bad' reasons. It implies a critique of how people rationalize their inherent convictions, suggesting that the true understanding may lie beyond mere intellectual justification, tapping instead into deeper metaphysical considerations.
Themes
MetaphysicsBeliefInstinctReasonPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophy class while discussing the nature of belief and reason.
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True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.
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Our live experiences, fixed in aphorisms, stiffen into cold epigrams. Our heart's blood, as we write it, turns to mere dull ink.
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One said of suicide, As long as one has brains one should not blow them out. And another answered, But when one has ceased to have them, too often one cannot.
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