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Absolute trust in the reality of things begins to be…

“Absolute trust in the reality of things begins to be shaken as the problem of truth enters upon the scene. The moment man ceases merely to live in and with reality and demands a knowledge of this reality, he moves into a new and fundamentally different relation to it. At first, to be sure, the…” quote by Ernst Cassirer
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““Absolute trust in the reality of things begins to be shaken as the problem of truth enters upon the scene. The moment man ceases merely to live in and with reality and demands a knowledge of this reality, he moves into a new and fundamentally different relation to it. At first, to be sure, the question of truth seems to apply only to particular parts and not to the whole of reality. Within this whole different strata of validity begin to be marked off, reality seems to separate sharply from appearance. But it lies in the very nature of the problem of truth that once it arises it never comes to rest. The concept of truth conceals an immanent dialectic that drives it inexorably forward, forever extending its limits.””

Ernst Cassirer

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Our understanding of truth evolves from accepting surface reality to questioning deeper layers, creating an endless pursuit of meaning.

In simple terms: Truth is a moving target, deeper as we probe reality.

Key Takeaway

Embrace continual questioning of what you accept as true.

Themes

truth philosophy knowledge inquiry dialectic

Mood

curious critical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • personal belief systems
  • media consumption
  • scientific discovery

Key Concepts

epistemology metaphysics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What assumptions about reality have you never questioned?
  • How do you handle conflicting truths?
A Different Perspective

Truth may become relativistic, leading to paralysis.

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