Accused Quote by Willard Van Orman Quine
“I have been accused of denying consciousness but I am not conscious of having done so.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Essay, 1960
Denial of consciousness is paradoxical because one cannot be aware of denying something they don’t recognize.
In simple terms: One can’t deny what they don’t know they’re doing.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about self‑knowledge.
Themes
philosophy
self‑awareness
paradox
consciousness
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- ethical debates
- personal reflection
- psychology
Key Concepts
self‑reference
epistemic limits
Questions to Reflect On
- Do we truly know our unconscious motives?
- How can we become aware of hidden biases?
A Different Perspective
The statement may be seen as overly abstract.
![“Not only can nobody deny the appearance of mere consciousness whose nature is other-dependent and not affected by the flaw of conceptions of a body with form and so on, but those who make any such [denial] only invalidate themselves by perception and such.” quote by Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/52d/karl-brunnholzl-4600_nature_not-only-can-nobody-deny-the-appearance_199293.jpg)
![“Some have said that the thesis [of indeterminacy] is a consequence of my behaviorism. Some have said that it is a reductio ad absurdum of my behaviorism. I disagree with this second point, but I agree with the first. I hold further that the behaviorism approach is mandatory. In psychology one may…” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e0/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_ads_some-have-said-that-the-thesis-of-indete_315688.jpg)
