Truth Quote by Michael Oakeshott
![“The real, if it is anything, is a coherent whole, it is a unity so unified as to preclude the possibility of disunity. And this is what we have called the truth. The real thing is the thing as it truly exists. The true thing, the thing as it exists in its wholeness, is the real thing.[26] And how…” quote by Michael Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b83/michael-oakeshott-23288_truth_the-real-if-it-is-anything-is-a-coherent_1693898.jpg)
““The real, if it is anything, is a coherent whole, it is a unity so unified as to preclude the possibility of disunity. And this is what we have called the truth. The real thing is the thing as it truly exists. The true thing, the thing as it exists in its wholeness, is the real thing.[26] And how does this differ from what we have called the ideal? In no respect whatever. The word Hegel uses for ‘wholeness’ is ‘reasonableness’, and if we are content to understand it (and not to abuse it) his assertion that was vernünftig ist, das ist wirklich; und was wirklich ist, das ist vernünftig, is not so wide of the mark.[27] Thought out to the end, as we have tried to do, the ideal not only grows out of the real, not only is contained in the real, but is the real.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Rationalism in Politics, Michael Oakeshott, 1962
The real and the ideal are the same unified whole; truth is the wholeness of existence, not a separate abstraction.
In simple terms: Reality and ideal are one unified whole.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that truth is the complete, coherent reality.
Themes
philosophy
truth
unity
reality
ideal
Mood
contemplative
analytical
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- political theory
- academic lecture
- personal reflection
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
ontological unity
dialectical reasoning
holism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does seeing truth as a unified whole affect your judgments?
- Can the ideal ever be truly separate from reality?
A Different Perspective
The ideal may be perceived as aspirational, making the claim of identity controversial.
