“I think I developed a culture of healthy skepticism of claims of certainty on any side of the aisle. A sort of boldness in using economics no matter where it leads you in political circles, you know, rather than worrying about being left-wing or right-wing or biased or this or that.” ThinkingKnowsMatterPoliticalCultureLeftSidesWorryHealthyEconomicsClaimsWingsCirclesCertaintySkepticismBoldnessRight WingBiasedLeft WingAisle Author:David Plotz
“When one admits that nothing is certain one must, I think, also admit that some things are much more nearly certain than others. It is much more nearly certain that we are assembled here tonight than it is that this or that political party is in the right. Certainly there are degrees of certainty, and one should be very careful to emphasize that fact, because otherwise one is landed in an utter skepticism, and complete skepticism would, of course, be totally barren and completely useless.” ThinkingShouldFactsPoliticalCertainCoursesPartyDegreesCarefulCertaintyUselessTonightSkepticismPolitical PartiesBarren Book:Why I Am Not a Christian Source: Why I Am Not a Christian
“It has been said, and perhaps with truth, that the conclusions of Political Economy partake more of the certainty of the stricter sciences than those of most of the other branches of human knowledge.” HumansHas BeensSaidPoliticalEconomyConclusionCertaintyBranchesHuman KnowledgePolitical Economy Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings
“Throughout history civilian populations and political rulers have talked of peace. We have never been free of war. The soldier, whose profession is war, understands that peace must be enforced by superior military might. The certainty of defeat is the only effective deterrent we can use to maintain peace. Furthermore, we can be strong without being aggressive.” WarUseMightPoliticalStrongMilitaryDefeatSoldierPopulationProfessionSuperiorsCertaintyAggressiveRulersCiviliansDeterrent Author:Barry Goldwater