Intellectual Caution Quotes

Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer; there is nobility in preserving it coolly and proudly through long youth, until at last, in the ripeness of instinct and discretion, it can be safely exchanged for fidelity and happiness.

Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer.

The writers against religion, whilst they oppose every system, are wisely careful never to set up any of their own.

Knowledge is a sacred cow, and my problem will be how we can milk her while keeping clear of her horns.

My only supporter and comrade-in-arms was Georg Helm, who had endeavored to formulate an energetic conception of science before me and had presented his results in a treatise [Die Lehre von der Energie] exhibiting great independence of thought. But we were separated by his aversion to a realistic conception of energy. Consequently, each of us considered the other only a half ally, toward whom an attitude of caution was necessary.

Truth is a good dog; but always beware of barking too close to the heels of an error, lest you get your brains kicked out.

The way in which a certain kind of political idealism has been discredited and scorned makes the danger not that intellectuals keep on making fools of themselves, formulating political opinions when they might not be as informed as they might be, but that they retreat and leave politics to the professionals.

It is not for man to follow the trail of truth too far, since by so doing he entirely loses the directing compass of his mind.

Now we will no longer concede so easily that anyone has the truth; the rigorous methods of inquiry have spread sufficient distrust and caution, so that we experience every man who represents opinions violently in word and deed as any enemy of our present culture, or at least as a backward person. And in fact, the fervor about having the truth counts very little today in relation to that other fervor, more gentle and silent, to be sure, for seeking the truth, a search that does not tire of learning afresh and testing anew.

In talking about the impact of ideas in one field on ideas in another field, one is always apt to make a fool of oneself.