Doe Quote by Peter S. Beagle
“What do men know? Because they have seen no unicorns for a while does not mean we have all vanished.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, 1968
Seeing no unicorns doesn’t prove they’re extinct; absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.
In simple terms: Lack of proof isn’t proof of lack.
Key Takeaway
Don’t assume disappearance from lack of sightings.
Themes
perception
belief
myths
Mood
curious
skeptical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- research
- exploration
- critical thinking
- science
- philosophy
Key Concepts
epistemology
absence
existence
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would change your belief?
- How do you handle unknown unknowns?
A Different Perspective
Assumes unicorns exist; may ignore alternative explanations.
![“[The unicorn] sighed and plodded on, both amused and disappointed. It serves you right, she told herself. You know better than to expect a butterfly to know your name. All they know are songs and poetry, and anything else they hear. They mean well, but they can’t keep things straight. And why…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/217/peter-s-beagle-1665_butterfly_the-unicorn-sighed-and-plodded-on-both-a_441340.jpg)
![“The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open palm to the crook-eared cat, but he stayed where he was, shivering with the desire to go to her"...[later, Molly asked the cat] "Why were you afraid to let her touch you?…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/59b/peter-s-beagle-1665_cat_the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-w_254271.jpg)
