Alfred North Whitehead Quotes

Bad reasoning as well as good reasoning is possible; and this fact is the foundation of the practical side of logic.

I hope you become comfortable with the use of logic without being deceived into concluding that logic will inevitably lead you to the correct conclusion.

The scientific imagination always restrains itself within the limits of probability.

Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.

Logic teaches rules for presentation, not thinking.

Euclid taught me that without assumptions there is no proof. Therefore, in any argument, examine the assumptions.

Logic is neither an art nor a science but a dodge.

Logic is like the sword - those who appeal to it, shall perish by it.

Logic takes care of itself; all we have to do is to look and see how it does it.

Knowledge consists in understanding the evidence that establishes the fact, not in the belief that it is a fact.

Logic is the art of going wrong with confidence.

Logic can become enormously difficult, and it would undoubtedly be well to produce more assurance in its use.

Logic is a system whereby one may go wrong with confidence.

...logical validity is not a guarantee of truth.

Many of her thoughts were perfect syllogisms; unluckily they always remained thoughts. Only a few were irrational assumptions; but, unfortunately, they were the ones which most frequently grew into deeds

Logic: an instrument used for bolstering a prejudice.

Talk about rationality can get very confusing unless the things with which rationality deals are also included.

I know too well that these arguments from probabilities are imposters, and unless great caution is observed in the use of them, they are apt to be deceptive.

Reason is so unreasonable, that few people can say they are in possession of it.

Logic is a wonderful invention. It is so wonderful, people often mistake it for reason. Reason, however, requires sense. Logic requires only consistency.

Logic is the art of convincing us some truth.

Logic is the art of going wrong with confidence.

Logic and truth are two very different things, but they often look the same to the mind that's performing the logic.

Logic invents as many fallacies as it detects; it is a good weapon, but as liable to be used in a bad as in a good cause.

Even if all parts of a problem seem to fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, one has to remember that the probable need not necessarily be the truth and the truth not always probable.