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Charm Quote by William Whewell

“Every failure is a step to success. Every detection of what is false directs us towards what is true: every trial exhausts some tempting form of error. Not only so; but scarcely any attempt is entirely a failure; scarcely any theory, the result of steady thought, is altogether false; no tempting…” quote by William Whewell
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“Every failure is a step to success. Every detection of what is false directs us towards what is true: every trial exhausts some tempting form of error. Not only so; but scarcely any attempt is entirely a failure; scarcely any theory, the result of steady thought, is altogether false; no tempting form of Error is without some latent charm derived from Truth.”

William Whewell

About This Quote

Source Book: The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, William Whewell, 1840

Each failure reveals falsehoods, guiding us toward truth; errors contain hidden value that informs progress.

In simple terms: Failure reveals truth and hidden value.

Key Takeaway

Embrace errors as learning steps.

Themes

learning truth error progress

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

  • scientific research
  • personal development
  • problem solving

Key Concepts

induction epistemology error analysis

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you extract truth from a recent mistake?
  • What hidden value might an error hold?
A Different Perspective

Errors may be misinterpreted as setbacks rather than guides.

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