Denis Diderot Quotes

God forbid that Truth should be confined to Mathematical Demonstration!

Science is about nothing but getting at the truth, and anything that gets in the way of that diminishes, in my experience, the science.

Justice and truth are too such subtle points that our tools are too blunt to touch them accurately.

The good thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe in it.

Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself.

Science adjusts its views based on what's observed Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved.

Rationality is the recognition of the fact that nothing can alter the truth and nothing can take precedence over that act of perceiving it.

I’m a skeptic not because I do not want to believe, but because I want to know. How can we tell the difference between what we would like to be true and what is actually true? The answer is science.

Science was born as a result and consequence of philosophy; it cannot survive without a philosophical base. If philosophy perishes, science will be next to go.

Philosophy is "an unusually stubborn attempt to think clearly.

I want to discover a truth for myself that is really true. Whether it's a piece of scientific knowledge, or a philosophical truth.

When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy, ask yourself only: what are the facts, and what is the truth that the facts bear out. Never let yourself be diverted by what you wish to believe, but look only and surely at what are the facts.

Philosophy may describe unreasoning, as it may describe force; it cannot hope to refute them.

You must look at facts, because they look at you.

I believe that through its rational evaluation of truth and indifference to personal belief, science transcends religious and political divisions and so does bind us into a greater, more resilient whole.

Philosophy means the complete liberty of the mind, and therefore independence of all social, political or religious prejudice... It loves one thing only... truth.

Rationalism doesn't require "belief," only observation. The real, measurable world doesn't care what you believe.

Truth does not demand belief. Scientists do not join hands every Sunday, singing, 'Yes, gravity is real! I will have faith!'

What objectivity and the study of philosophy requires is not an 'open mind,' but an active mind - a mind able and eagerly willing to examine ideas, but to examine them criticially.

By freethinking I mean the use of the understanding in endeavoring to find out the meaning of any proposition whatsoever, in considering the nature of the evidence for or against, and in judging of it according to the seeming force or weakness of the evidence.

Philosophy is the opposite of fairy tales

If you want to assert a truth, first make sure it's not just an opinion that you desperately want to be true.

Beauty is not required. Beauty is accuracy's distraction.

One of the nice things about math and science is it’s obvious, you get the answer or you don’t get the answer.