Hilary Mantel Quotes

I hope that I am generous and tolerant, but certainly on the intellectual side I think that there are discoverable truths, and some things that are closer approximations to the truth than others.

The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.

A lot of journalism wants to have what they call objectivity without them having a commitment to pursuing the truth, but that doesn't work. Objectivity requires belief in and a commitment toward pursuing the truth - having an object outside of our personal point of view.

Science is about nothing but getting at the truth, and anything that gets in the way of that diminishes, in my experience, the science.

It is not the truth that a man possesses, or believes that he possesses, but the earnest effort which he puts forward to reach the truth, which constitutes the worth of a man.

Truth is always served by great minds, even if they fight it.

If we bring not the good courage of minds covetous of truth, and truth only, prepared to hear all things, and decide upon all things, according to evidence, we should do more wisely to sit down contented in ignorance, than to bestir ourselves only to reap disappointment.

A philosopher goes where the truth leads and has no patience with mere emotion.

We must never forget that higher knowledge has to do with revering truth and insight and not with revering people.

Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable.

Truth is not only a matter of offense, in that it makes certain assertions. It is also a matter of defense in that it must be able to make a cogent and sensible response to the counterpoints that are raised.

All I would ask you to be thinking of is the truth and not Socrates.

Forbear to spew out reason from your mind, but rather ponder everything with keen judgment; and if it seems true, own yourself vanquished, but, if it is false, gird up your loins to fight.

In disputes upon moral or scientific points, ever let your aim be to come at truth, not to conquer your opponent. So you never shall be at a loss in losing the argument, and gaining a new discovery.

A life of total dedication to the truth also means a life of willingness to be personally challenged.

Teach him a certain refinement in sorting out and selecting his arguments, with an affection for relevance and so for brevity. Above all let him be taught to throw down his arms and surrender to truth as soon as he perceives it, whether the truth is born at his rival's doing or within himself from some change in his ideas.

When people disagreed with him he urged them to be objective.

I care what is actually true, even more than what I hope is true.

We are not sure we are right until we have made the best case possible for those who are wrong.

The truth is out there, but it’s often discomfiting and nuanced and hard to find, and not nearly as satisfying as believing whatever you want and mocking those who don’t.

It would be difficult to discover the truth about the universe if we refused to consider anything that might be true.

We must always think about things, and we must think about things as they are, not as they are said to be.

Clarity and consistency are not enough: the quest for truth requires humility and effort.

I soon discovered, after I became chairman of the NEH, that, for a number of academics, the truth was not merely irrelevant - it no longer existed.

If you shut the door to all errors, truth will be shut out.