“People are said to believe in God, or to disbelieve in Adam and Eve. But in such cases what is believed or disbelieved is that there is an entity answering a certain description. This, which can be believed or disbelieved is quite different from the actual entity (if any) which does answer the description. Thus the matter of belief is, in all cases, different in kind from the matter of sensation or presentation, and error is in no way analogous to hallucination. A hallucination is a fact, not an error; what is erroneous is a judgment based upon it.” PeopleIfsWayBelieveKindDoeSaidDifferentMatterFactsCertainBeliefAnswersCasesJudgmentErrorsDescriptionSensationsBelieve In GodAdamEntityPresentationAdam And EveHallucinations Book:Logic and Knowledge: Essays 1901-1950 Source: Logic and Knowledge: Essays 1901-1950
“Why does philosophy use concepts and why does faith use symbols if both try to express the same ultimate? The answer, of course, is that the relation to the ultimate is not the same in each case. The philosophical relation is in principle a detached description of the basic structure in which the ultimate manifests itself. The relation of faith is in principle an involved expression of concern about the meaning of the ultimate for the faithful.” IfsTryingDoePhilosophyUseCoursesAnswersPrinciplesCasesExpressionInvolvedConceptsConcernUltimateRelationPhilosophicalStructureTheologySymbolsFaithfulDescriptionDetached Book:Dynamics of Faith Source: Dynamics of Faith
“Freudian psychoanalytical theory is a mythology that answers pretty well to Levi-Strauss's descriptions. It brings some kind of order into incoherence; it, too, hangs together, makes sense, leaves no loose ends, and is never (but never) at a loss for explanation. In a state of bewilderment it may therefore bring comfort and relief.... give its subject a new and deeper understanding of his own condition and of the nature of his relationship to his fellow men. A mythical structure will be built up around him which makes sense and is believable-in, regardless of whether or not it is true.” MenGivingWellsKindMayEndsStatesTogetherOrderUnderstandingNatureLossAnswersRelationshipConditionsSubjectsTheoryComfortBuiltFellowsStructureDeeperMythMythologyMake SenseExplanationReliefDescriptionFellow ManPsychoanalysisBelievableBewildermentDeeper UnderstandingIncoherenceLoose EndsBelievabilityLevi Strauss Author:Peter Medawar
“Newton had a very good description of gravity, back in the day, and then Einstein came along and dug a little bit deeper. Science is like peeling an onion. You go deeper and deeper and deeper, and it doesn't stop. It's not like you will get to a right answer.” LittlesBitsAnswersLike YouLittle BitVery GoodDeeperDescriptionGravityNewtonOnionsRight AnswersBack In The DayPeelingPeeling An Onion Author:Dallas Campbell