--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A defeated argument that refuses to be…" description: "\"A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can remain very alive.\" — Amartya Sen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png" --- # A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can… ![“A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can remain very alive.” quote by Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png) > “A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can remain very alive.” [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even when a claim is disproven, it can continue influencing thought and debate if it isn’t completely erased. **In simple terms:** Defeated ideas can stay alive if not fully eliminated. Key Takeaway Ensure robust critique to prevent lingering falsehoods. Themes argument persistence intellectual discourse critical thinking memory debate Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - media analysis - policy review - educational curricula Key Concepts philosophy political theory public reasoning Questions to Reflect On - Why do certain defeated arguments endure? - How can societies more effectively discard harmful falsehoods? A Different Perspective Some ideas persist due to emotional attachment, not logical merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ## Related quotes > [For peace and brotherhood, I am ready to serve the Turkish state, and I believe that for this end I must remain alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ocalan/for-peace-and-brotherhood-i-am-ready-to-serve-the-turkish-state-and-i/) [Abdullah Ocalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ocalan/) > [“SURVIVOR: To remain alive; to carry on despite hardships or trauma; persevere, to remain functional or usable, to live longer than; outlive, to persist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/survivor-to-remain-alive-to-carry-on-despite-hardships-or-trauma/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [that as long as we are being remembered, we remain alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/that-as-long-as-we-are-being-remembered-we-remain-alive/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [But then you become closed. Then you start dying as far as your intelligence is concerned because intelligence needs the open sky, the wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-then-you-become-closed-then-you-start-dying-as-far-as-your/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“as long as we are being remembered, we remain alive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/as-long-as-we-are-being-remembered-we-remain-alive/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Passion is the reason you're alive. If you lose it, dig deep inside yourself to find it again, in order to remain alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindrella/passion-is-the-reason-you-re-alive-if-you-lose-it-dig-deep-inside/) [Cindrella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindrella/) > [I enjoy the process of assessing, analyzing it and even as a professional I still think it's very wise to allow the fan in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrion-kross/i-enjoy-the-process-of-assessing-analyzing-it-and-even-as-a/) [Karrion Kross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrion-kross/) > [Theirs is the banner in my hand. And I wish I had the power to tell them that the despair of their hearts was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/theirs-is-the-banner-in-my-hand-and-i-wish-i-had-the-power-to-tell/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/in-spite-of-illness-in-spite-even-of-the-archenemy-sorrow-one-can/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Your ability to remain alive never ceases to amaze me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/your-ability-to-remain-alive-never-ceases-to-amaze-me/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [To take that risk, to offer life and remain alive, open yourself like this and become whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/to-take-that-risk-to-offer-life-and-remain-alive-open-yourself-like/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“To rest in peace you need to die, to live in peace you need to remain alive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/to-rest-in-peace-you-need-to-die-to-live-in-peace-you-need-to-remain/) [Dr.P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [One can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-can-remain-alive-long-past-the-usual-date-of-disintegration-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“There was no reproach either in their faces or in their hearts, only the knowledge that they must die in order that he might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/there-was-no-reproach-either-in-their-faces-or-in-their-hearts-only/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More by Amartya Sen > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/where-the-mind-is-without-fear-and-the-head-is-held-high-where/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people, championed by proficient artisans of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/violence-is-fomented-by-the-imposition-of-singular-and-belligerent/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I think the whole progress over the last two or three millennia has been entirely dependent on ideas and techniques and commodities and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-think-the-whole-progress-over-the-last-two-or-three-millennia-has/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/no-famine-has-ever-taken-place-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-a/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [To say that certainly America was very lucky to get a large amount of land, and the native Indians were extremely unlucky to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/to-say-that-certainly-america-was-very-lucky-to-get-a-large-amount-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [The lack of economic freedom could be a very major reason for loss of liberty, liberty of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-lack-of-economic-freedom-could-be-a-very-major-reason-for-loss-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We need to ask the moral questions: Do I have a right to be rich? And do I have a right to be content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/we-need-to-ask-the-moral-questions-do-i-have-a-right-to-be-rich-and/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“He wrote extensively on how schools should be made more attractive to boys and girls and thus more productive. His own co-educational school at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/he-wrote-extensively-on-how-schools-should-be-made-more-attractive-to/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [One has to be realistic. One’s concern for equity and justice in the world must not carry one into the alien territory of unreasoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/one-has-to-be-realistic-one-s-concern-for-equity-and-justice-in-the/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [While I am interested both in economics and in philosophy, the union of my interests in the two fields far exceeds their intersection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/while-i-am-interested-both-in-economics-and-in-philosophy-the-union/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I was born in a University campus and seem to have lived all my life in one campus or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-was-born-in-a-university-campus-and-seem-to-have-lived-all-my-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [If jobs are important, education is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/if-jobs-are-important-education-is-important/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Thailand's economic development was driven by educational expansion. That has been a very dramatic factor, and South Asia had been pretty miserable in not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/thailand-s-economic-development-was-driven-by-educational-expansion/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) [Explore all 162 Amartya Sen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can remain very alive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amartya Sen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-obliterated-can-remain-very/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-obliterated-can-remain-very/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/amartya-sen-2518_alive_a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-o_3205917.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A defeated argument that refuses to be obliterated can remain very alive.” — Amartya Sen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amartya Sen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A defeated argument that refuses to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-obliterated-can-remain-very/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/a-defeated-argument-that-refuses-to-be-obliterated-can-remain-very/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```