God help us from those who believe that they are the sole possessors of truth. How we manage at times to agree willingly to become prisoners within our own minds and souls of beliefs and ideas on which we can never be flexible.
If I can get you to laugh with me you like me better which makes you more open to my ideas. And if I can persuade you to laugh at the particular point I make by laughing at it you acknowledge its truth.
So far as hypotheses are concerned let no one expect anything certain from astronomy which cannot furnish it lest he accept as the truth ideas conceived for another purpose and depart from this study a greater fool than when he entered it.
I am aware that a philosopher's ideas are not subject to the judgment of ordinary persons because it is his endeavour to seek the truth in all things to the extent permitted to human reason by God.
Most people think that shadows follow precede or surround beings or objects. The truth is that they also surround words ideas desires deeds impulses and memories.
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts foreign ideas alien philosophies and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.
No dance has ever turned out the way I thought it would because I trust enough that I can start something with some ideas and then it takes itself somewhere.
Ideas are only lethal if you suppress and don't discuss them. Ignorance is not bliss it's stupid. Banning books shows you don't trust your kids to think and you don't trust yourself to be able to talk to them.
Taking time to sit back and watch and think about what you've seen is important. Traveling did a great deal to me. I found that when I travel and just sit in the corner and watch a million ideas come to me.
You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it.
We certainly want those at the top to do well but if you base your entire presidency and your entire economic platform on helping them do even better you're missing what makes the economy tick. Because not everyone has been as fortunate as Mitt Romney you cannot base your whole approach on a life experience as rarified as his.