A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Truth and falsehood are opposed; but truth is the norm not of truth only but of falsehood also.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Truth is a standard by which both truth and falsehood can be measured.
In this quote, C.S. Lewis emphasizes the relationship between truth and falsehood, indicating that truth serves not only as the defining characteristic of what is true but also as the benchmark against which falsehoods are evaluated. It suggests that without a clear understanding of truth, one cannot adequately recognize or define falsehood, highlighting the fundamental role that truth plays in our understanding of reality.
Themes
TruthFalsehoodPhilosophyUnderstandingReality
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about ethics and morality, this quote can serve to highlight the importance of truth in discerning right from wrong.
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All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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