--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I start a new seminar I tell my…" description: "\"“When I start a new seminar I tell my students that I will undoubtedly contradict myself, and that I will mean both things. But an acceptance of contra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dce/madeleine-l-engle-345_acceptance_when-i-start-a-new-seminar-i-tell-my-stu_1882671.png" --- # When I start a new seminar I tell my students that I will… ![“When I start a new seminar I tell my students that I will undoubtedly contradict myself, and that I will mean both things. But an acceptance of contradiction is no excuse for fuzzy thinking. We do have to use our minds as far as they will take us, yet acknowledge that they cannot take us all the…” quote by Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dce/madeleine-l-engle-345_acceptance_when-i-start-a-new-seminar-i-tell-my-stu_1882671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dce/madeleine-l-engle-345_acceptance_when-i-start-a-new-seminar-i-tell-my-stu_1882671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dce/madeleine-l-engle-345_acceptance_when-i-start-a-new-seminar-i-tell-my-stu_1882671.png) > ““When I start a new seminar I tell my students that I will undoubtedly contradict myself, and that I will mean both things. But an acceptance of contradiction is no excuse for fuzzy thinking. We do have to use our minds as far as they will take us, yet acknowledge that they cannot take us all the way.”” [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting contradictions is essential, but one must still think clearly and push mental limits. **In simple terms:** Embrace paradox, but think clearly. Key Takeaway Balance openness with critical thinking. Themes philosophy education critical thinking Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - classroom discussion - research design - ethical debates - personal growth Key Concepts dialectics cognitive limits Questions to Reflect On - How do you resolve conflicting ideas? - When do you accept uncertainty? A Different Perspective Contradiction can cause confusion if unexamined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [No excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-excuses/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [As an educator, I try to get people to be fundamentally curious and to question ideas that they might have or that are shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/as-an-educator-i-try-to-get-people-to-be-fundamentally-curious-and-to-2/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [When many people think of "new age" they think of crystals and purple decals and ceramic angels in people's windows and a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-many-people-think-of-new-age-they-think-of-crystals-and-purple/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Fuzzy thinking is, after all, just one step above not thinking at all. But to take the ideas of serious transformational thinkers and philosophers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/fuzzy-thinking-is-after-all-just-one-step-above-not-thinking-at-all/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Fuzzy thinking leads to hesitancy in acting. Clear thinking makes it easier to act boldly and consistently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/fuzzy-thinking-leads-to-hesitancy-in-acting-clear-thinking-makes-it/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [As an educator, I try to get people to be fundamentally curious and to question ideas that they might have or that are shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/as-an-educator-i-try-to-get-people-to-be-fundamentally-curious-and-to/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I'm optimistic. I see no longer people accepting fuzzy thinking in the world. 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"See, those two statements seem like they contradict each other to me, Gio.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hunter/no-need-to-be-intimidated-tesoro-but-do-be-careful-see-those-two/) [elizabeth hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hunter/) ## More by Madeleine L'Engle > [“One of the hardest lessons I have to learn is how not to be judgmental about people who are judgmental. When I see how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/one-of-the-hardest-lessons-i-have-to-learn-is-how-not-to-be/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Inspiration more often comes during the work than before it, because the largest part of the job of an artist is to listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/inspiration-more-often-comes-during-the-work-than-before-it-because/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [You have to write the book that wants to be written. 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He's the oxygen in my air, the sun in my universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-feel-as-though-i-m-not-breathing-when-i-m-out-of-his-presence-he-s/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Rather than feeling lost and unimportant and meaningless, set against galaxies which go beyond the reach of the furthest telescopes, I feel that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/rather-than-feeling-lost-and-unimportant-and-meaningless-set-against/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [My husband is my most ruthless critic... sometimes he will say, 'It's been said better before.' Of course it has. It's all been said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/my-husband-is-my-most-ruthless-critic-sometimes-he-will-say-it-s-been/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [If we aren't capable of being hurt we aren't capable of feeling joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/if-we-aren-t-capable-of-being-hurt-we-aren-t-capable-of-feeling-joy/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) [Explore all 660 Madeleine L'Engle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. 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