Umberto Eco Quotes

Words and a book and a belief that the world is words.

The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you've gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?

Language is the instrument in all cases and can language be trusted?If it were not for language, could we lie?

I agree with Chomsky in almost nothing. When it comes to innate structures and so on, I'm very skeptical.

All truth is simple... is that not doubly a lie?

One of the most misleading representational techniques in our language is the use of the word 'I.'

I would engage in a sort of syntax destruction that would sound like I was answering the question but actually was not.

I was really grateful to have a chance to have some really in-depth study about the power of language using a philosopher who taught at the University of Chicago by the name of Paul Ricoeur. I'm really happy to be in Chicago because a lot of what I do is rooted in his approach to language.

Language can be used to so many diverse ends. It can be used to clarify and, of course, it can be used to obfuscate, confuse, evade.

We are never half so interesting when we have learned that language is given us to enable us to conceal our thoughts.

Democritus said, words are but the shadows of actions.

All myth is an enriched pattern, a two-faced proposition, allowing its operator to say one thing and mean another, to lead a double life. Hence the notion found early in ancient thought that all poets are liars. And from the true lies of poetry trickled out a question. What really connects words and things?

We are led to believe a lie When we see not through the eye.

Perhaps no one as yet has been truthful enough about what "truthfulness" is.

The lies we tell about our duty and our purposes, the meaningless words of science and philosophy, are walls that topple before a bewildered little ‘why’.

Hegel says that Truth is a great word and the thing is greater still. With Dave we never seemed to get past the word.

Memory is a mirror that scandalously lies.

Matter is simply a concept. The world is made of language.

How can you qualify the difference between a sin and a lie.

If it were true what in the end would be gained? Nothing but another truth. Is this such a mighty advantage? We have enough old truths still to digest, and even these we would be quite unable to endure if we did not sometimes flavor them with lies.

The tongue of man is a twisty thing, there are plenty of words there of every kind.

The truth is far from you, so you know you got to lie. Then you're all the time defending what you can never justify.

The name Bowie just appealed to me when I was younger. I was into a kind of heavy philosophy thing when I was 16 years old, and I wanted a truism about cutting through the lies and all that.

...they discovered only a small asteroid inhabited by a solitary old man who claimed repeatedly that nothing was true, though he was later discovered to be lying.

Most closed heavens for the Christian are between his ears. Believing a lie empowers the liar.