Salomon saith, There is no new thing upon the earth. So that as Plato had an imagination, that all knowledge was but remembrance; so Salomon giveth his sentence, that all novelty is but oblivion.
Francis BaconRead
The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.
Interpretation
Superstition arises from selective observation of events that confirm beliefs while ignoring those that contradict them.
This quote by Francis Bacon suggests that superstition is a product of human cognitive bias, where individuals notice and remember instances that support their beliefs but overlook those that do not. This selective observation can lead to a flawed understanding of reality, reinforcing irrational beliefs based on incomplete evidence.
In practice
In a discussion about the origins of superstitions at a psychology seminar.
Salomon saith, There is no new thing upon the earth. So that as Plato had an imagination, that all knowledge was but remembrance; so Salomon giveth his sentence, that all novelty is but oblivion.
Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.
Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence- a reconcentration… tearing away the veils, the attitudes people acquire of their time and earlier time. Really good artists tear down those veils
Wise men make more opportunities than they find.
Knowledge and human power are synonymous.
...angels... are always being filled full of light, becoming ever more radiant and making blessed use of their natural ability to change. They dance for joy around the First Light, look continuously towards Him and are enlightened directly by Him, as they tirelessly sing the praises of the Fount of light and, being ministers of light, transmit illuminating grace to those lower beings who are being enlightened.
The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.
Nearly all creators of Utopia have resembled the man who has toothache, and therefore thinks happiness consists in not having toothache... Whoever tries to imagine perfection simply reveals his own emptiness.
I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness.
The patient decides when it's best to go.
The world is being created and destroyed in this very moment. Whoever you met will reappear, whoever you lost will return. Don’t betray the grace that was bestowed on you. Understand what is going on inside you and you will understand what is going on inside everyone else. Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace. I came with a sword.
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