--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have seen in this book numerous…" description: "\"“We have seen in this book numerous ambiguous texts that can be interpreted in two different ways: as an assertion that is true but relatively banal, o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/alan-sokal-44922_ambiguity_we-have-seen-in-this-book-numerous-ambig_2396908.jpg" --- # We have seen in this book numerous ambiguous texts that… ![“We have seen in this book numerous ambiguous texts that can be interpreted in two different ways: as an assertion that is true but relatively banal, or as one that is radical but manifestly false. And we cannot help thinking that, in many cases, these ambiguities are deliberate. Indeed, they offer…” quote by Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/alan-sokal-44922_ambiguity_we-have-seen-in-this-book-numerous-ambig_2396908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/alan-sokal-44922_ambiguity_we-have-seen-in-this-book-numerous-ambig_2396908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/alan-sokal-44922_ambiguity_we-have-seen-in-this-book-numerous-ambig_2396908.jpg) > ““We have seen in this book numerous ambiguous texts that can be interpreted in two different ways: as an assertion that is true but relatively banal, or as one that is radical but manifestly false. And we cannot help thinking that, in many cases, these ambiguities are deliberate. Indeed, they offer a great advantage in intellectual battles: the radical interpretation can serve to attract relatively inexperienced listeners or readers; and if the absurdity of this version is exposed, the author can always defend himself by claiming to have been misunderstood, and retreat to the innocuous interpretation.”” [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambiguous statements can be used strategically to attract attention and then retreat to a harmless meaning when challenged. **In simple terms:** Deliberate ambiguity protects authors from criticism. Key Takeaway Use clarity to avoid being misunderstood. Themes rhetoric intellectual honesty strategic communication Mood skeptical analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - political discourse - media analysis - public speaking Key Concepts ambiguity defensibility misinterpretation Questions to Reflect On - How does strategic ambiguity affect credibility? - When is it ethical to use vague language? A Different Perspective Ambiguity can erode trust if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Interpretation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation/) [Postmodernism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postmodernism/) ## Related quotes > [“In this atmosphere of general discouragement, it is tempting to attack something that is sufficiently linked to the powers-that-be so as not to appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/in-this-atmosphere-of-general-discouragement-it-is-tempting-to-attack/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [“We're the most aggressively inarticulate generation to come along since, you know, a long time ago!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-mali/we-re-the-most-aggressively-inarticulate-generation-to-come-along/) [Taylor Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-mali/) > [“Worship, then, needs to be characterized by hospitality; it needs to be inviting. But at the same time, it should be inviting seekers into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-a-smith/worship-then-needs-to-be-characterized-by-hospitality-it-needs-to-be/) [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) > [Postmodernism - and is that term used much any more? - is simply a reiteration of the sophistic or the rhetorical worldview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-roochnik/postmodernism-and-is-that-term-used-much-any-more-is-simply-a/) [David Roochnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-roochnik/) > [“Women's liberation is one thing, but the permeation of anti-male sentiment in post-modern popular culture - from our mocking sitcom plots to degrading commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-madison/women-s-liberation-is-one-thing-but-the-permeation-of-anti-male/) [Tiffany Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-madison/) > [“here is the nub of the issue between Christianity and postmodernism: what is freedom?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-white/here-is-the-nub-of-the-issue-between-christianity-and-postmodernism/) [Heath White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-white/) > [“May one plead, Your Honor, postmodernism as an involuntary condition?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/may-one-plead-your-honor-postmodernism-as-an-involuntary-condition/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“The dominant theories of elite art and criticism in the 20th century grew out of a militant denial of human nature. One legacy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-dominant-theories-of-elite-art-and-criticism-in-the-20th-century/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The postmodern reply to the modern consists of recognizing that the past, since it cannot really be destroyed, because its destruction leads to silence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-postmodern-reply-to-the-modern-consists-of-recognizing-that-the/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“An attempt to wrest from God the prerogatives of absolute freedom and infinity leads to the inversion of Pentecost and what is in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-gunton/an-attempt-to-wrest-from-god-the-prerogatives-of-absolute-freedom-and/) Colin E. Gunton > [“Oedipa wondered whether, at the end of this (if it were supposed to end), she too might not be left with only compiled memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/oedipa-wondered-whether-at-the-end-of-this-if-it-were-supposed-to-end/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [“Postmodernism has turned into this devil's vortex where no matter what you do, your neck will be turned and your face shoved into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/postmodernism-has-turned-into-this-devil-s-vortex-where-no-matter/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [“Diversion consoles us - in trivial ways - in the face of our miseries or perplexities; yet, paradoxically, it becomes the worst of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/diversion-consoles-us-in-trivial-ways-in-the-face-of-our-miseries-or/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [To the extent that I've ever understood postmodernism - and I'm sure there are people out there who do, but I'm not one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/to-the-extent-that-i-ve-ever-understood-postmodernism-and-i-m-sure/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [Altermodern is an in-progress redefinition of modernity in the era of globalisation, stressing the experience of wandering in time, space and mediums. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-bourriaud/altermodern-is-an-in-progress-redefinition-of-modernity-in-the-era-of/) Nicolas Bourriaud ## More by Alan Sokal > [Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social conventions is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the windows of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/anyone-who-believes-that-the-laws-of-physics-are-mere-social/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [“The relativists’ stance is extremely condescending: it treats a complex society as a monolith, obscures the conflicts within it, and takes its most obscurantist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/the-relativists-stance-is-extremely-condescending-it-treats-a-complex/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [“In this atmosphere of general discouragement, it is tempting to attack something that is sufficiently linked to the powers-that-be so as not to appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/in-this-atmosphere-of-general-discouragement-it-is-tempting-to-attack/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [Why should self-indulgent nonsense - whatever its professed political orientation - be lauded as the height of scholarly achievement?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/why-should-self-indulgent-nonsense-whatever-its-professed-political/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [“Each religion makes scores of purportedly factual assertions about everything from the creation of the universe to the afterlife. But on what grounds can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/each-religion-makes-scores-of-purportedly-factual-assertions-about/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [And I'm a stodgy old scientist who believes, naively, that there exists an external world, that there exist objective truths about that world, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/and-i-m-a-stodgy-old-scientist-who-believes-naively-that-there-exists/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [A mode of thought does not become 'critical' simply by attributing that label to itself, but by virtue of its content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/a-mode-of-thought-does-not-become-critical-simply-by-attributing-that/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) > [“Thus, by science I mean, first of all, a worldview giving primacy to reason and observation and a methodology aimed at acquiring accurate knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sokal/thus-by-science-i-mean-first-of-all-a-worldview-giving-primacy-to/) [Alan Sokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) [Explore all 9 Alan Sokal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sokal/) ## More Ambiguity quotes > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's a lot of ambiguity in life, and so often, our art is very neatly wrapped up at the end, when our lives never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/there-s-a-lot-of-ambiguity-in-life-and-so-often-our-art-is-very/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“Man must not attempt to dispel the ambiguity of his being but, on the contrary, accept the task of realizing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/man-must-not-attempt-to-dispel-the-ambiguity-of-his-being-but-on-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Browse all 431 Ambiguity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We have seen in this book numerous ambiguous texts that can be interpreted in two different ways: as an assertion that is true but relatively banal, or as one that is radical but manifestly false. 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