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The truth is perilous never to the true, Nor knowledge to…

“The truth is perilous never to the true, Nor knowledge to the wise; and to the fool, And to the false, error and truth alike, Error is worse than ignorance.” quote by Philip James Bailey
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“The truth is perilous never to the true, Nor knowledge to the wise; and to the fool, And to the false, error and truth alike, Error is worse than ignorance.”

Philip James Bailey

About This Quote

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

True knowledge can be dangerous for the honest, while the wise may be harmed by knowledge; fools suffer from both falsehood and truth, and error is more harmful than ignorance.

In simple terms: Truth can harm the honest; error harms more than ignorance.

Key Takeaway

Beware of error and its impact.

Themes

truth knowledge error wisdom foolishness

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical advisory

When to use this quote

  • political decision
  • personal decision
  • education
  • media consumption

Key Concepts

philosophy ethics epistemology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you differentiate error from ignorance?
  • When might truth be perilous?
A Different Perspective

Error may be less obvious than ignorance, making it harder to detect and correct.

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