Arthur Hugh Clough Quotes

Yet you must not cling to the words of the old sages either; they, too, may not be right. Even if you believe them, you should be alert so that, in the event that something superior comes along, you may follow that.

It is never too late to give up our prejudices. No way of thinking or doing, however, ancient, can be trusted without proof. ... Old deeds for old people, and new deeds for new.

The secret to discovery is to never believe existing facts.

But in a broader sense, when I have more control, I want to expose people to new ideas.

Tradition means taking account of a wonderful history but remembering that everybody today looks to the future.

In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.

New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can't be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it's not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!

We need to open up the future. We also need to keep everything valuable from the past.

Changes in the traditional way of building are only permitted if they are an improvement. Otherwise stay with what is traditional, for truth, even if it be hundreds of years old has a stronger inner bond with us than the lie that walks by our side.

The thing is, we've changed our style but we've never changed the actual roots of what we've done.

First of all, the most important, that is to learn everything good that has survived from other times, and carefully to watch the bad - and throw it out.

While there is a great value in things that are old, it seems that the overwhelming challenge in Britain in the late 20th century is to make every effort to see value in the contemporary and in the future.

I have been constantly telling people to encourage people, to question the unquestioned and not to be ashamed to bring up new ideas, new processes to get things done.

When hearing something unusual, do not preemptively reject it, for that would be folly. Indeed, horrible things may be true, and familiar and praised things may prove to be lies. Truth is truth unto itself, not because people say it is.

We should not fear what is new, but we should not throw out that which is in the past but is still valuable.

It's good to be progressive, but don't shun the good things about tradition.

If you are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you. You become a crotchety old person convinced that nonsense is ruling the world. (There is, of course, much data to support you.) But every now and then, a new idea turns out to be on the mark, valid and wonderful. If you are too much in the habit of being skeptical about everything, you are going to miss or resent it, and either way you will be standing in the way of understanding and progress.

The few have said, Think! The many have said, Believe! The first doubt was the womb and cradle of progress, and from the first doubt, man has continued to advance.

Beware when any idea is promoted primarily because it is "bold, exciting, innovative, and new." There are many ideas that are "bold, exciting, innovative and new," but also foolish.

we are, in this country, more open to new ideas. But we are also, it seems to me, more inclined to hail the new as absolute truth - until the next new comes along.

When you see reference to a new paradigm you should always, under all circumstances, take cover.

If you are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you.

Old ideas can sometimes use new buildings. New ideas must use old buildings.

An ounce of logic can be worth more than a ton of tradition that has become obsolete through the weathering of time.

It is only because the majority opinion will always be opposed by some that our knowledge and understanding progress. In the process by which opinion is formed, it is very probable that, by the time any view becomes a majority view, it is no longer the best view: somebody will already have advanced beyond the point which the majority have reached. It is because we do not yet know which of the many competing new opinions will prove itself the best that we wait until it has gained sufficient support.