We forfeit three-quarters of ourselves in order to be like other people.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
As so often happens in philosophy, clever people accept a false general principle on a priori grounds and then devote endless labour and ingenuity to explaining away plain facts which obviously conflict with it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Clever individuals sometimes accept flawed theories and work tirelessly to justify them, despite contrary evidence.
C. D. Broad highlights a common issue in philosophical thinking, where intelligent individuals may latch onto certain flawed generalizations or principles without sufficient evidence and then go to great lengths to rationalize them. This behavior often leads to the dismissal of clear, observable facts that contradict their preconceived notions, showcasing a disconnect between theory and reality.
Themes
PhilosophyTruthKnowledgeRationalizationEvidence
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on the philosophy of science, this quote can emphasize the importance of grounding theories in observable facts.
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