--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagination could never invent the number…" description: "\"Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png" --- # Imagination could never invent the number of different… ![“Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png) > “Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature contains countless internal conflicts that shape our thoughts and actions. **In simple terms:** People have many inner contradictions. Key Takeaway Recognize and accept inner contradictions. Themes human nature contradiction self-awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - conflict resolution - creative writing Key Concepts psychology philosophy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What inner contradictions drive your choices? - How can you use them creatively? A Different Perspective Contradictions may hinder clear decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Contradictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictions/) [Contradictions Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictions-exist-1119046/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different Contradictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-contradictions-1348550/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-invent-1348551/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) ## Related quotes > [Imagination does not enable us to invent as many different contradictions as there are by nature in every heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/imagination-does-not-enable-us-to-invent-as-many-different/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [To a Buddhist, contradictions only exist in a mind that has been forced to cultivate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/to-a-buddhist-contradictions-only-exist-in-a-mind-that-has-been/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [“Every one of us is a walking set of contradictions. The great among us are no different, except that their contradictions tend to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-s-young/every-one-of-us-is-a-walking-set-of-contradictions-the-great-among-us/) [Jeffrey S. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-s-young/) > [Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/contradictions-do-not-exist-whenever-you-think-you-are-facing-a/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I like contradictions. We have never attained the infinite variety and contradictions that exist in nature. Tomorrow I shall contradict myself. That is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/man-ray/i-like-contradictions-we-have-never-attained-the-infinite-variety-and/) [Man Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/man-ray/) > [Beauty is a terrible and awful thing! It is terrible because it has not been fathomed, for God sets us nothing but riddles. Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/beauty-is-a-terrible-and-awful-thing-it-is-terrible-because-it-has-2/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“I'll give you a hint. Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-ll-give-you-a-hint-contradictions-do-not-exist-whenever-you-think/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“Turing attended Wittgenstein's lectures on the philosophy of mathematics in Cambridge in 1939 and disagreed strongly with a line of argument that Wittgenstein was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/turing-attended-wittgenstein-s-lectures-on-the-philosophy-of/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [“Beauty is a terrible and awful thing! It is terrible because it has not been fathomed and never can be fathomed, for God sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/beauty-is-a-terrible-and-awful-thing-it-is-terrible-because-it-has/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [We cannot possibly imagine the variety of contradictions in every heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-cannot-possibly-imagine-the-variety-of-contradictions-in-every/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“…no person, no matter how vivid an imagination he may have, can invent anything half so droll as the freaks and fancies that originate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/no-person-no-matter-how-vivid-an-imagination-he-may-have-can-invent/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [ They \[formulae 1.10 - 1.12 of Ramanujan\] must be true because, if they were not true, no one would have had the imagination to invent them. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/they-formulae-1-10-1-12-of-ramanujan-must-be-true-because-if-they/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk. Sometimes, you can put it together with a good imagination and invent something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/inspiration-can-be-found-in-a-pile-of-junk-sometimes-you-can-put-it/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I love working with technology because it allows me to follow my imagination and to invent new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/i-love-working-with-technology-because-it-allows-me-to-follow-my/) [Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/) > [Contradictions in human character are one of its most consistent notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/contradictions-in-human-character-are-one-of-its-most-consistent-notes/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Contradiction quotes > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-almost-a-contradiction-in-terms-it-means-a-strong-desire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Contradictions in human character are one of its most consistent notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/contradictions-in-human-character-are-one-of-its-most-consistent-notes/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) > [“The tiny features below, taken together with the gentle mass of Montblanc towering above them, the Vanoise glacier almost invisible in the shimmering distance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald-2/the-tiny-features-below-taken-together-with-the-gentle-mass-of/) [W.G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald-2/) > [I’m a skeptic not because I do not want to believe, but because I want to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/i-m-a-skeptic-not-because-i-do-not-want-to-believe-but-because-i-want/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [There are evidently limits to the achievements of science; and there are irresolvable contradictions both between prosperity and virtue, and between happiness and ''the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-evidently-limits-to-the-achievements-of-science-and-there/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [To exist (in mathematics), said Henri Poincaré, is to be free from contradiction. But mere existence does not guarantee survival. To survive in mathematics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kac/to-exist-in-mathematics-said-henri-poincar-is-to-be-free-from/) [Mark Kac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kac/) > [“In these creations, life and symbolic value are not in contradiction: they intensify each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/in-these-creations-life-and-symbolic-value-are-not-in-contradiction/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I have never agreed with my other self wholly. The truth of the matter seems to lie between us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/i-have-never-agreed-with-my-other-self-wholly-the-truth-of-the-matter/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [“A truth is not necessary, because we negatively are not able to conceive the actual existence of the opposite thereof;but a truth is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-dabney/a-truth-is-not-necessary-because-we-negatively-are-not-able-to/) [R.L. Dabney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-dabney/) > [The pictures that were coming from Vietnam were showing us what was really happening on the ground level. It was in contradiction to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/the-pictures-that-were-coming-from-vietnam-were-showing-us-what-was/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [Here I encounter the most popular fallacy of our times. It is not considered sufficient that the law should guarantee to every citizen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/here-i-encounter-the-most-popular-fallacy-of-our-times-it-is-not/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-the-sun-will-not-rise-tomorrow-is-no-less-intelligible-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The reflection of nature in man's thought must be understood not lifelessly but in the eternal process of movement, the arising of contradictions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/the-reflection-of-nature-in-man-s-thought-must-be-understood-not/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) [Browse all 1,263 Contradiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/imagination-could-never-invent-the-number-of-different-contradictions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contradiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/imagination-could-never-invent-the-number-of-different-contradictions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_contradiction_imagination-could-never-invent-the-numbe_1722154.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's…” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "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": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Imagination could never invent the number...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/imagination-could-never-invent-the-number-of-different-contradictions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/imagination-could-never-invent-the-number-of-different-contradictions/#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 } } ] } ```