Advantage Quote by Joseph Addison
“Hudibras has defined nonsense, as Cowley does wit, by negatives. Nonsense, he says, is that which is neither true nor false. These two great properties of nonsense, which are always essential to it, give it such a peculiar advantage over all other writings, that it is incapable of being either answered or contradicted.”
About This Quote
Nonsense is defined as statements that are neither true nor false, making them immune to logical refutation and giving them a unique literary advantage.
In simple terms: Nonsense is neither true nor false, so it can't be disproved.
Key Takeaway
Use nonsense to explore limits of logic and language.
Themes
philosophy
literature
logic
paradox
Mood
intellectual
provocative
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing experimental poetry
- teaching logical fallacies
- analyzing absurdist texts
- debating epistemology
Key Concepts
semantic theory
literary criticism
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What value does unanswerable nonsense provide?
- How does it challenge conventional argument?
A Different Perspective
May be misinterpreted as meaningless.
![“[I]n many ways nonsense is a more effective organizing tool than the truth. Anyone can believe in the truth. To believe in nonsense is an unforgeable demonstration of loyalty. It serves as a political uniform. And if you have a uniform, you have an army.” quote by Mencius Moldbug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ddb/mencius-moldbug-44998_truth_i-n-many-ways-nonsense-is-a-more-effecti_1051817.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
