Enquiry Quotations

If a psychiatric and scientific inquiry were to be made upon our rulers, mankind would be appalled at the disclosures.

In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of moral evidence. A wise man, therefore, proportions his belief to the evidence.

Painting is a science pursued as an enquiry into the laws of nature...Observation is considered the key to natural science.

I hold a beast, an angel and a madman within me.

The human understanding is unquiet; it cannot stop or rest, and still presses onward, but in vain. Therefore it is that we cannot conceive of any end or limit to the world, but always as of necessity it occurs to us that there is something beyond... But he is no less an unskilled and shallow philosopher who seeks causes of that which is most general, than he who in things subordinate and subaltern omits to do so

Let us enquire. Who, then, shall challenge the words? Why are they challenged. And by whom? By those who call themselves the guardians of morality, and who are the constituted guardians of religion. Enquiry, it seems, suits not them. They have drawn the line, beyond which human reason shall not pass -- above which human virtue shall not aspire! All that is without their faith or above their rule, is immorality, is atheism, is -- I know not what.

Touch and away, Jack?’ asked Stephen. ‘Touch and away? Do you not recall that I have important business there? Enquiries of the very first interest?’ To do with our enterprise? To do with this voyage?’ Perhaps not quite directly.

The assumption of an absolute determinism is the essential foundation of every scientific enquiry.

Political Economy as a branch of science is extremely modern; but the subject with which its enquiries are conversant has in all ages necessarily constituted one of the chief practical interests of mankind.

The result, therefore, of this physical enquiry is that we find no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.

Egotism is true modesty. In religious enquiry each of us can speak only for himself.

By doubting we are led to enquire, and by enquiry we perceive the truth.

After all, what else is scientific enquiry of any sort other than a controlled version of banging one's head against the universe until something gives?

Life without enquiry is not worth living.

The soul then, as being immortal, and having been born again many times, and having seen all things that exist, whether in this world or in the world below, has knowledge of them all . . . all enquiry and all learning is but recollection.

Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error.

Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error... They are the natural enemies of error, and of error only... If [free enquiry] be restrained now, the present corruptions will be protected, and new ones encouraged.

Truth never lost ground by enquiry.