Faith Quote by Harry G. Frankfurt
““That is why she cannot be regarded as lying; for she does not presume that she knows the truth, and therefore she cannot be deliberately promulgating a proposition that she presumes to be false: Her statement is grounded neither in a belief that it is true, not, as a lie must be, in a belief that it is not true. It is just this lack of connection to a concern with truth - this indifference to how things really are - that I regard as the essence of bullshit.””
About This Quote
Source Book: On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt, 1986
Bullshit arises when one is indifferent to truth, lacking any belief about its accuracy, rather than intentionally lying.
In simple terms: Indifference to truth is the core of bullshit.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge statements that ignore factual accuracy.
Themes
truth
indifference
communication
ethics
Mood
skeptical
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- political speeches
- advertising
- social media posts
- everyday conversations
Key Concepts
epistemology
philosophy of language
rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish between a lie and bullshit?
- What motivates people to produce bullshit?
A Different Perspective
Bullshit can be persuasive despite lacking factual basis.
