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Max Black

Max Black Quotes

Philosopher

Max Black (February 24, 1909 - August 27, 1988) was a prominent philosopher known for his work in the fields of philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics. He is renowned for his profound insights into language and logic, and his writings have had a significant impact on subsequent philosophers.

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All Metaphor Accepted Aspect Believe Capricious Certain Children Code Conform Cutting

Famous Max Black Quotes

“Fine doesn't mean fine! The scale goes: great, good, okay, not okay, I hate you, fine.”

Mean Hate Fine Okay I Hate Scales Hate You I Hate You Not Okay

Author:Max Black

“... a result once generally accepted by mathematicians is seldom retracted, and then only with great pangs. The Nature of Mathematics”

Results Mathematics Accepted Mathematician

Author:Max Black

“We find out soon enough that the universe is not capricious: the child who learns that fire burns and knife-edges cut know that there are inexorable limits set upon his desires. Language must conform to the discovered regularities and irregularities of experience.”

Knows Children Enough Desire Universe Language Fire Cutting Limits Edges Knives Conform Regularity Inexorable Capricious Soon Enough Irregularity

Author:Max Black

“Understanding a metaphor is like deciphering a code or unraveling a riddle.”

Understanding Metaphor Code Riddle Unraveling

Author:Max Black

“...a metaphor that works in one society may seem preposterous in another.”

May Seems Metaphor

Author:Max Black

“No doubt metaphors are dangerous- and perhaps especially so in philosophy. But a prohibition against their use would be a willful and harmful restriction upon our powers of inquiry.”

Philosophy Use Would Be Doubt Dangerous Metaphor No Doubt Inquiry Restriction Prohibition Doubt Me

Author:Max Black

“... I still wish to contend that some metaphors enable us to see aspects of reality that the metaphor's production helps to constitute. But that is no longer surprising if one believes that the world is necessarily a world under a certain description - or a world seen from a certain perspective.”

Ifs World Believe Stills Helping Reality Certain Wish Perspective Aspect Metaphor Productions Description Surprising

Book:Perplexities: Rational Choice, the Prisoner's Dilemma, Metaphor, Poetic Ambiguity, and Other Puzzles

Source: Perplexities: Rational Choice, the Prisoner's Dilemma, Metaphor, Poetic Ambiguity, and Other Puzzles

About the Author

Born: February 24, 1909
Died: August 27, 1988
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 7

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Perplexities: Rational Choice, the Prisoner's Dilemma, Metaphor, Poetic Ambiguity, and Other PuzzlesRelated source material

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