gwern comments on Rationality Quotes April 2012 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Oscar_Cunningham 03 April 2012 12:42AM

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Comment author: gwern 07 April 2012 05:47:58PM 7 points [-]

"The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion draws all things else to support and agree with it.

And though there be a greater number and weight of instances to be found on the other side, yet these it either neglects or despises, or else by some distinction sets aside and rejects, in order that by this great and pernicious predetermination the authority of its former conclusion may remain inviolate."

--Francis Bacon, Novum Organum (1620) <!-- 1905 (Ellis, R. & Spedding, J., Trans.). London: Routledge. -->