Quotes About Interpretation

If you wish to understand a philosopher, do not ask what he says, but find out what he wants

One often contradicts an opinion when what is uncongenial is really the tone in which it was conveyed.

When art dresses in worn-out material it is most easily recognized as art.

A great value of antiquity lies in the fact that its writings are the only ones that modern men still read with exactness.

To use the same words is not a sufficient guarantee of understanding one must use the same words for the same genus of inward experience ultimately one must have one's experiences in common.

A classical work of literature can never be completely understood. But those who are educated and educating themselves must always desire to learn more from it.

philosophy of art usually lacks one of two things: either the philosophy or the art

The historian is a prophet in reverse.

The historian is a prophet looking backwards.

It is impossible to describe a landscape so validly as to exclude all other descriptions, for no one can see the landscape in all its aspects at the same time, and no single view can prevent the existence and validity of other equally possible views.

Reality exists as it is. The words we use to explain our understanding of it are always pale reflections of the truth we are attempting to convey and of our own understanding of that truth.

Our knowledge is always incomplete, and our brains always misinterpret so much, that the only thing we can truly trust is intuition.

At that moment, as I looked this man in the eye, I was reminded of Hanlon's razor, a philosophical notion that states one should never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. It occurred to me just then that, conversely, one ought never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by malice.

History is subjective. History is alterable. History is, finally, little more than modeling clay in a very warm room.

I think that what most artists are trying to do is trying to understand. I think what distinguishes creative people and/or artists from another type of person is perhaps a willingness to go headlong into that uncertainty.

There is nothing either good or bad, it is merely your thinking that makes it so.

One can believe in a story without believing it happened.

Too many scholars think of research as purely a cerebral pursuit. If we do nothing with the knowledge we gain, then we have wasted our study. Books can store information better than we can--what we we do that books cannot is interpret. So if one is not going to draw conclusions, then one might as well just leave the information in the texts.

It's not a lie," Shallan said, "if everyone understands and knows what it means." "Mm. Those are some of the best lies.

People see in stories what they're looking for, my young friend.

If you could explain something perfectly, then you'd never need art.

I am an artist," Wit said. "I should thank you not to demean me by insisting my art must be trying to accomplish something. In fact, you shouldn't enjoy art. You should simply admit that it exists, then move on. Anything else is patronizing.

Is there some kind of subtext to our current conversation? Because, as you might know, I am absolutely terrible with subtext. It gives me a headache." "You can't get headaches," "Well I can't get subtext either. Far too subtle for me.

Books can store information better than we can—what we do that books cannot is interpret. So if one is not going to draw conclusions, then one might as well just leave the information in the texts.