Caterina.net: Truth is uniform and narrow

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{ Wednesday, April 26, 2006 }

Truth is uniform and narrow

Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries. Truth is uniform and narrow; it constantly exists, and does not seem to require so much an active energy, as a passive aptitude of the soul in order to encounter it. But error is endlessly diversified; it has no reality, but is the pure and simple creation of the mind that invents it. In this field the soul has room enough to expand herself, to display all her boundless faculties, and all her beautiful and interesting extravagancies and absurdities.

-- Benjamin Franklin (from his report to the King of France on Animal Magnetism, 1784)

LINK | 11:18 PM | TB

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{ COMMENTS }

Ninety years later, Tolstoy wrote, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

I had no idea that he was channeling Franklin.

Great find!

j david | April 27, 2006 7:12 AM

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http://www.bactra.org/reviews/error/
growth of error

| April 30, 2006 7:07 PM

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I just made a HUGE error at work that is very visible and very costly. 30 mins ago I had a phone call with my boss who said, "We need to talk about your long term plans with this job, I'll help you as much as I can, but it's getting more and more difficult to do." I was going to give my notice next Monday anyway...but I started feeling bad because I'm always making mistakes- constantly messing things up. I have to stop and try to figure out what the problem is; carelessness? Or am I just a "scatterbrain?" I'm an intelligent person, but there are different types of intelligences; some more recognizable in our culture than others. I really want to be one of those people who is sure of themselves, always has the right answer, always is going in the correct direction and has a perfect memory. Anyway, I can't believe I just went to this website and saw this quote. Thank you for the uplifting message- I'm sure it wasn't meant to provide comfort to scatterbrains...but it just did.

Zelda | May 1, 2006 7:56 AM

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I had an experience not unllike what Zelda describes, maybe three months ago.

This is a fantastic find for me, as well. My thanks go to Caterina for re-framing such uplifting sentiments.

Chris | May 1, 2006 2:50 PM

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Totally off topic: CONGRATS TO YOU AND STEWART FOR BEING LISTED AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE AT TIME!

Ariadna | May 1, 2006 9:43 PM

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It is a great quote, isn't it? I found it as the epigram to an essay on Mesmer in Cabinet Magazine.

Caterina | May 2, 2006 9:30 AM

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Sorry for the late comment, I just came across this entry today.

This brings to mind all the cultures that created a major foodstuff out of a plant that in its natural state is either poisonous or undigestible. How did that process start? Why did it continue? Certainly any fatality rate at all would have given pause to the idea of continued ingestion, yet complicated processing and fermentation systems were developed.

Paula | May 10, 2006 11:19 AM

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A superb and timely quote for an age where superstition and religious notions hardly different from many in the 12th century are pervasive at even the highest levels of many governments, including...ours.

Joe Hunkins | May 24, 2006 12:01 AM

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