--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps the history of the errors of…" description: "\"Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries. Truth is uniform ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png" --- # Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things… ![“Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries. Truth is uniform and narrow; it constantly exists, and does not seem to require so much an active energy, as a passive aptitude of the soul in order to encounter…” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png) > “Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries. Truth is uniform and narrow; it constantly exists, and does not seem to require so much an active energy, as a passive aptitude of the soul in order to encounter it. But error is endlessly diversified; it has no reality, but is the pure and simple creation of the mind that invents it. In this field the soul has room enough to expand herself, to display all her boundless faculties, and all her beautiful and interesting extravagancies and absurdities.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Error, being a mental construct, offers endless creative possibilities, while truth is static and limited. **In simple terms:** Mistakes are limitless, truths are fixed. Key Takeaway Embrace errors as a source of growth. Themes creativity error truth philosophy learning Mood inquisitive optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - artistic creation - problem solving - personal development Key Concepts Cognitive flexibility creative thinking philosophical inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What errors have sparked your greatest insights? - How can you balance truth‑seeking with creative error? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on error can lead to indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurdities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdities/) [Absurdity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdity/) [Active](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active/) [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [Aptitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aptitude/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Boundless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundless/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creation Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation-mind-509478/) [Discoveries Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries-truth-509476/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Display](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/display/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Errors Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors-mankind-509475/) [Extravagancies Absurdities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extravagancies-absurdities-509477/) [Faculty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faculty/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Passive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) [Uniforms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniforms/) [Valuable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable/) ## Related quotes > [“Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-mankind-all-things-considered-is-2/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [One of the most important discoveries I have ever made is this truth: God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/one-of-the-most-important-discoveries-i-have-ever-made-is-this-truth/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [What then in the last resort are the truths of mankind? They are the irrefutable errors of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-then-in-the-last-resort-are-the-truths-of-mankind-they-are-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [General and abstract ideas are the source of the greatest errors of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/general-and-abstract-ideas-are-the-source-of-the-greatest-errors-of/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Nothing is more dangerous in practice, than an obstinate, unbending adherence to a system, particularly in its application to the wants and errors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-say/nothing-is-more-dangerous-in-practice-than-an-obstinate-unbending/) [Jean-Baptiste Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-say/) > [Our life is a creation of our mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/our-life-is-a-creation-of-our-mind/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Our life is the creation of our mind,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/our-life-is-the-creation-of-our-mind/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lissa-rankin/what-we-are-today-comes-from-our-thoughts-of-yesterday-and-our-3/) [Lissa Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lissa-rankin/) > [“Christianity explains why truth is not merely a human construction. The world is not a creation of my own mind. It is the handiwork…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/christianity-explains-why-truth-is-not-merely-a-human-construction/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-we-are-today-comes-from-our-thoughts-of-yesterday-and-our-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything in this world is a creation of the mind, being moved by the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-randymar/everything-in-this-world-is-a-creation-of-the-mind-being-moved-by-the/) [Joel Randymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-randymar/) > [What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/what-we-are-today-comes-from-our-thoughts-of-yesterday-and-our/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/of-the-buddha/what-we-are-today-comes-from-our-thoughts-of-yesterday-and-present/) [of the Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/of-the-buddha/) > [Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/genius-is-nothing-but-a-greater-aptitude-for-patience/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Thought of the incomprehensible sequence of changes and chances that make up a life, all the beauties and horrors and absurdities whose conjunctions create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/thought-of-the-incomprehensible-sequence-of-changes-and-chances-that/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Absurdities quotes > [Thought of the incomprehensible sequence of changes and chances that make up a life, all the beauties and horrors and absurdities whose conjunctions create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/thought-of-the-incomprehensible-sequence-of-changes-and-chances-that/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [My work is not so much a direct commentary as it is an open-ended observation of the absurdities around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ori-gersht/my-work-is-not-so-much-a-direct-commentary-as-it-is-an-open-ended/) [Ori Gersht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ori-gersht/) > [What monstrous absurdities and paradoxes have resisted whole batteries of serious arguments, and then crumbled swiftly into dust before the ringing death-knell of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/what-monstrous-absurdities-and-paradoxes-have-resisted-whole/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“It is with philosophy as with religion : men marvel at the absurdity of other people's tenets, while exactly parallel absurdities remain in their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/it-is-with-philosophy-as-with-religion-men-marvel-at-the-absurdity-of/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [But whatever you do, take neither yourselves nor your fellow-creatures too seriously. There is tragedy enough in our daily routine, but there is room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/but-whatever-you-do-take-neither-yourselves-nor-your-fellow-creatures/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [False reasoners are often best confuted by giving them the full swing of their own absurdities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/false-reasoners-are-often-best-confuted-by-giving-them-the-full-swing/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To all the rest of his Absurdities, (for vice is always unreasonable,) he adds one more, who expects that Vertue from another which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-astell/to-all-the-rest-of-his-absurdities-for-vice-is-always-unreasonable-he/) [Mary Astell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-astell/) > [“I have now gone through the examination of the four books ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and when it is considered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/i-have-now-gone-through-the-examination-of-the-four-books-ascribed-to/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One is more certain to influence men, to produce more effect on them, by absurdities than by sensible ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/one-is-more-certain-to-influence-men-to-produce-more-effect-on-them/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [How important the concept of God is, and how instead of valuing what has been given us, we with light hearts spurn it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/how-important-the-concept-of-god-is-and-how-instead-of-valuing-what/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Absurdities are great or small in proportion to custom or insuetude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/absurdities-are-great-or-small-in-proportion-to-custom-or-insuetude/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“More absurdity in myself, endless absurdities. My own childishness sometimes amused me. Would it amuse others? Were others like myself, hopelessly childish?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/more-absurdity-in-myself-endless-absurdities-my-own-childishness/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [The idea that each corporation can be a feudal monarchy and yet behave in its corporate action like a democratic citizen concerned for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-idea-that-each-corporation-can-be-a-feudal-monarchy-and-yet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/poor-human-reason-when-it-trusts-in-itself-substitutes-the-strangest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most pernicious of absurdities is that weak, blind, stupid faith is better than the constant practice of every human virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/the-most-pernicious-of-absurdities-is-that-weak-blind-stupid-faith-is/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) [Browse all 78 Absurdities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries. Truth is uniform and narrow; it constantly exists, and does not seem to require so much an active energy, as a passive aptitude of the soul in order to encounter it. But error is endlessly diversified; it has no reality, but is the pure and simple creation of the mind that invents it. In this field the soul has room enough to expand herself, to display all her boundless faculties, and all her beautiful and interesting extravagancies and absurdities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-mankind-all-things-considered-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurdities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-mankind-all-things-considered-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/benjamin-franklin-65_absurdities_perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-man_825277.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than…” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Perhaps the history of the errors...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-mankind-all-things-considered-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/perhaps-the-history-of-the-errors-of-mankind-all-things-considered-is/#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 } } ] } ```