Able Quote by Anthony Standen
“Our advanced and fashionable thinkers are, naturally, out on a wide swing of the pendulum, away from the previous swing of the pendulum… They seem to have an un-argue-out-able position, as is the manner of sophists, but this is no guarantee that they are right.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The World of Thought, Anthony Standen, 1975
Modern thinkers often swing to extreme positions, resembling sophists who appear confident but lack guaranteed correctness, reminding us to question authority.
In simple terms: New ideas can be extreme and not always right.
Key Takeaway
Question bold claims and seek evidence.
Themes
critical thinking
skepticism
intellectual humility
philosophy
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- policy making
- media consumption
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
sophistry
epistemology
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate the credibility of new ideas?
- When is it okay to trust expert opinion?
A Different Perspective
Extremes can sometimes offer valuable insights despite flaws.
