--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Their goal is to deepen our comprehension…" description: "\"“Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the discussions themselves instead of justifying particular views involved in current debates.”\" — Gary B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg" --- # Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the… ![“Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the discussions themselves instead of justifying particular views involved in current debates.” quote by Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg) > ““Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the discussions themselves instead of justifying particular views involved in current debates.”” [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advocates deeper analysis of discussions rather than defending specific positions. **In simple terms:** Focus on understanding discussions. Key Takeaway Prioritize critical thinking over defending views. Themes dialogue critical thinking philosophy education Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic seminars - public debates - media literacy workshops Key Concepts epistemology discourse analysis intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster deeper comprehension? - What barriers prevent open analysis? A Different Perspective May be impractical in polarized environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Justifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justifying/) ## Related quotes > [Feelings are self-justifying, with a set of perceptions and "proofs" all their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/feelings-are-self-justifying-with-a-set-of-perceptions-and-proofs-all/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [“Some people realize what they want, and only then do they find reasons for justifying it. Some find the first reason that comes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saad-ireland/some-people-realize-what-they-want-and-only-then-do-they-find-reasons/) [Saad Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saad-ireland/) > [In justifying cruelty to animals we put ourselves also on the animal level. We choose the jungle and must abide by our choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/in-justifying-cruelty-to-animals-we-put-ourselves-also-on-the-animal/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“But don't they say that all is fair in love and war? I heard that somewhere." "'They?' Who are 'they?'" "I don't know. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/but-don-t-they-say-that-all-is-fair-in-love-and-war-i-heard-that/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [“You use words written by men to justify your actions? TO question whether or not you are damned? We damn ourselves. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-heller/you-use-words-written-by-men-to-justify-your-actions-to-question/) [A.C. Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-heller/) > [People who don't believe in God may have their own way of justifying some bad act they have committed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/people-who-don-t-believe-in-god-may-have-their-own-way-of-justifying/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“The truth no matter how hard it is to bear, must be accepted and confronted head on because it is real. Businesses and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/the-truth-no-matter-how-hard-it-is-to-bear-must-be-accepted-and/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Two people pass each other. As one looks upon the other's skin color, the other is looking back at their appearance. Both justifying, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/two-people-pass-each-other-as-one-looks-upon-the-other-s-skin-color/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“We are to give up all our sins, big or small, for the Father’s reward of eternal life. We are to forget self-justifying stories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-gay/we-are-to-give-up-all-our-sins-big-or-small-for-the-father-s-reward/) Robert C. Gay > [“The kind of pain that you can't share with people is worse than one that is apparent. Worst of all is the kind you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravinder-singh/the-kind-of-pain-that-you-can-t-share-with-people-is-worse-than-one/) [Ravinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravinder-singh/) > [Too often we think we can act without explaining and take decisions without justifying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mandelson/too-often-we-think-we-can-act-without-explaining-and-take-decisions/) [Peter Mandelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mandelson/) > [Justifying faith is not a naked assent to the truths of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/justifying-faith-is-not-a-naked-assent-to-the-truths-of-the-gospel/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [It is not a matter of ends justifying means: but of the creation of new means and new ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-connor/it-is-not-a-matter-of-ends-justifying-means-but-of-the-creation-of/) [Joseph O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-connor/) > [Even alone we go on justifying ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-alone-we-go-on-justifying-ourselves/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [There is no need of justifying yourself to others, until you can justify yourself to your own conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/there-is-no-need-of-justifying-yourself-to-others-until-you-can/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) ## More by Gary B. Ferngren > [“In Victorian times, one of the more serious reasons for opposing Darwin was the fear that his theories would lead to the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/in-victorian-times-one-of-the-more-serious-reasons-for-opposing/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“If they were right, there was an absence of conflict not only over the specific case of cosmology but, in principle, over anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/if-they-were-right-there-was-an-absence-of-conflict-not-only-over-the/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“In Victorian times, one of the more serious reasons for opposing Darwin was the fear that his theories would lead to the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/in-victorian-times-one-of-the-more-serious-reasons-for-opposing-2/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“E. A. Burtt argued that the foundations of science were often theological.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/e-a-burtt-argued-that-the-foundations-of-science-were-often/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“If they were right, there was an absence of conflict not only over the specific case of cosmology but, in principle, over anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/if-they-were-right-there-was-an-absence-of-conflict-not-only-over-the-2/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“With hindsight, it is truly remarkable that, as early as the sixteenth century, Copernicus and his disciple Georg Joachim Rheticus (1514–74) resolved the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/with-hindsight-it-is-truly-remarkable-that-as-early-as-the-sixteenth/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“In short, the interaction between science and religion in the Middle Ages was not an abstract encounter between bodies of fixed ideas but part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/in-short-the-interaction-between-science-and-religion-in-the-middle/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“The Middle Ages have served as a historical arena within which two schools of thought have done battle—one school accusing the medieval church of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/the-middle-ages-have-served-as-a-historical-arena-within-which-two/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“The Judeo-Christian view, in contrast, historically regarded nature as the nonliving creation of a rational God, not cyclic but with a definite beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/the-judeo-christian-view-in-contrast-historically-regarded-nature-as/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) > [“Science’s best-known victories were those of Copernicanism and Darwinism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/science-s-best-known-victories-were-those-of-copernicanism-and/) [Gary B. Ferngren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) [Explore all 11 Gary B. Ferngren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the discussions themselves instead of justifying particular views involved in current debates.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary B. Ferngren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehension-of-the-discussions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehension-of-the-discussions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/461/gary-b-ferngren-38961_goals_their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehensio_290999.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Their goal is to deepen our comprehension of the discussions themselves instead of justifying particular…” — Gary B. Ferngren", "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": "Gary B. Ferngren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-b-ferngren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Their goal is to deepen our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehension-of-the-discussions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-b-ferngren/their-goal-is-to-deepen-our-comprehension-of-the-discussions/#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 } } ] } ```