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Men are generally right in what they affirm and wrong in…

“Men are generally right in what they affirm and wrong in what they deny. What we deny is generally something that lies outside our experience, and about which we can therefore say nothing.” quote by H. Richard Niebuhr
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“Men are generally right in what they affirm and wrong in what they deny. What we deny is generally something that lies outside our experience, and about which we can therefore say nothing.”

H. Richard Niebuhr

About This Quote

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

People are correct when affirming familiar truths, but deny unknowns beyond experience, leaving them unknowable.

In simple terms: We know what we accept, not what we reject.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions.

Themes

epistemology morality knowledge

Mood

inquisitive serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

  • education
  • policy making
  • interfaith dialogue

Key Concepts

Phenomenology skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What truths lie beyond our experience?
  • How can we responsibly address the unknown?
A Different Perspective

Denial can be strategic, not just ignorance.

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