---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That is why she cannot be regarded as…"
description: "\"“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 ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/harry-g-frankfurt-44230_faith_that-is-why-she-cannot-be-regarded-as-ly_967397.jpg"
---

#  That is why she cannot be regarded as lying; for she does…

![“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…” quote by Harry G. Frankfurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/harry-g-frankfurt-44230_faith_that-is-why-she-cannot-be-regarded-as-ly_967397.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/harry-g-frankfurt-44230_faith_that-is-why-she-cannot-be-regarded-as-ly_967397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/harry-g-frankfurt-44230_faith_that-is-why-she-cannot-be-regarded-as-ly_967397.jpg)

> ““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.””

[Harry G. Frankfurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-g-frankfurt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

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.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Grounded Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grounded-belief-1833993/) [Lie Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-belief-1833994/) [Regarded Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regarded-lying-1833992/) [Statement Grounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statement-grounded-1833991/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-indifference-1833995/)

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