Speculative Thought Quotes

Nothing is harder, yet nothing is more necessary, than to speak of certain things whose existence is neither demonstrable nor probable. The very fact that serious and conscientious men treat them as existing things brings them a step closer to existence and to the possibility of being born.

Philosophy is the science of estimating values. The superiority of any state or substance over another is determined by philosophy. By assigning a position of primary importance to what remains when all that is secondary has been removed, philosophy thus becomes the true index of priority or emphasis in the realm of speculative thought.

In practical life we are compelled to follow what is most probable ; in speculative thought we are compelled to follow truth. A man would perish of hunger and thirst, if he refused to eat or drink, till he had obtained positive proof that food and drink would be good for him. But in philosophic reflection this is not so. On the contrary, we must take care not to admit as true anything, which is only probable. For when one falsity has been let in, infinite others follow.

Science fiction is exciting because it promises to show the world and the universe from perspectives radically unlike what we've seen before.

The service of philosophy, of speculative culture, towards the human spirit, is to rouse, to startle it to a life of constant and eager observation.

Primitivism has become the vulgar cliché of much modern art and speculation.

I believe in poetic discourse, in the value of speech in a non-naturalistic way; it's speculative.

In practical life we are compelled to follow what is most probable ; in speculative thought we are compelled to follow truth.

That which we know is but little; that which we have a presentiment of is immense; it is in this direction that the poet outruns the learned man.

The world is full of burled and gnarly knobs on which you can hang a metaphysical system. If you must.

It's about human imagination and curiosity. What's out there? What's in the great beyond? What exists at levels we can't see with our five senses?

Theologians have felt no hesitation in founding a system of speculative thought on the teachings of Jesus; and yet Jesus was never an inhabitant of the realm of speculative thought.

Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And we must hazard them to win our prize. Those among us who are unwilling to expose their ideas to the hazard of refutation do not take part in the scientific game.

The 'free-floating intellectual' may occupy himself with problems because of their inherent interest and importance, perhaps to little effect.