William James Quotes

Many persons nowadays seem to think that any conclusion must be very scientific if the arguments in favor of it are derived from twitching of frogs’ legs— especially if the frogs are decapitated—and that—on the other hand—any doctrine chiefly vouched for by the feelings of human beings-with heads on their shoulders—must be benighted and superstitious.

‘The true’ to put it very briefly, is only the expedient in the way of our thinking, just as ‘the right’ is only the expedient in the way of our behaving.

First, you know, a new theory is attacked as absurd; then it is admitted to be true, but obvious and insignificant; finally it is seen to be so important that its adversaries claim that they themselves discovered it.