Quotessence
Home / Books / The Secret Commonwealth

The Secret Commonwealth

Book by Philip Pullman · 8 quotes · Imagination, Reason, Perception

Filter quotes by topic

AllImaginationReasonPerceptionPhilosophyGrowing UpLiesLogicLyra SilvertongueMatterRationalitySecret CommonwealthSpiritSpirits In The Material WorldStorytellersTruth

The Secret Commonwealth Quotes

“Had reason ever created a poem, or a symphony, or a painting? If rationality can’t see things like the secret commonwealth, it’s because rationality’s vision is limited. The secret commonwealth is there. We can’t see it with rationality any more than we can weigh something with a microscope: it’s the wrong sort of instrument. We need to imagine as well as measure ...”

ReasonImaginationRationalitySecret Commonwealth
Book:The Secret Commonwealth
Create image

“You used to be optimistic. You used to think that whatever we did would turn out well. Even after we came back from the north, you used to think that. Now you're cautious, you're anxious… You're pessimistic." She knew he was right, but it wasn't right that he should speak to her accusingly, as if it was something to blame her for. "I used to be young," was all she could find to say.”

ImaginationGrowing Up
Book:The Secret Commonwealth
Create image

“Mr. Scoresby...told me there were truthtellers, and they needed to know what the truth was, so as to tell it. And there were liars, and they needed to know what the truth was, so they could change it or avoid it. And there were bullshitters, who didn't care about the truth at all. They weren't interested. What they spoke wasn't the truth and it wasn't lies; it was bullshit. All they were interested in was their own performance.”

PhilosophyTruthLiesStorytellersLyra Silvertongue
Book:The Secret Commonwealth
Create image