Quotes About Inquiry

All good thinking is a matter of asking and answering three elementary questions. What is being said? Is it true? What of it?

An "open mind" can be an "empty head," and "tolerance" can be indistinguishable from believing nothing. These are no help in finding honest answers to honest and important questions.

use questions to raise questions

For within the heart of curiosity, lies the secret of greatness.

Scepticism is the beginning of Faith.

Remain in wonder if you want mysteries to open up for you.

Javier to Hunter: "How long you and Dargangelo been married?

Does Wall-Mart sell wall stuff?

Wal-Mart, do they like, sell walls there?

I spent the rest of the night researching this guy.

For this shall never be proved, that the things that are not are; and do thou restrain thy thought from this way of inquiry. Nor let habit force thee to cast a wandering eye upon this devious track, or to turn thither thy resounding ear or thy tongue; but do thou judge the subtle refutation of their discourse uttered by me.

Suddenly Chelsea's eyes met Anna's from across the table and held them. Icy gray became even more pale, and Chelsea's nostrils flared. "Who hurt you?" she asked, slicing through the two other conversations going on at the table.

Did you bring this into bed last night?" he asked. I flexed my fingers, frowning with annoyance at the walking stick.

Not to know is bad; not to wish to know is worse. — Nigerian Proverb

I don't write about what I know: I write in order to find out what I know.

Kendall had asked about her father.

really be suspicious.

Bobcat?" he says. "What bobcat?

The more specific your questions the better. If you feel that you can't really continue the conversation without asking questions, you need to ask specific questions.

First principles thinking is the practice of getting behind this tendency to follow, and to question everything you think is set in stone and realizing that they are probably assumptions.

we seek to understand, not necessarily to find a complete and final solution.

Wait a minute George. You don't mean you broke in?" "No, not exactly. Well . . . is this line secure?" "Absolutely." "Then yes.

Many years afterwards, we attempt to solve puzzles that were not mysteries at the time and we try to decipher half-obliterated letters from a language that is too old and whose alphabet we don't even know.

molto tempo dopo, qualcuno mi ha assicurato che l'unica cosa impossibile da ricordare è il timbro delle voci. Eppure, ancora oggi, durante le mie notti insonni, sento spesso la voce dall'accento parigino - quello delle strade in salita- dirmi:"Allora, la sta trovando la sua felicità?". Una frase che conserva ancora oggi tutta la sua gentilezza e il suo mistero.