Why be difficult when you can be impossible?

 

Why be difficult when you can be impossible?

 

Anonymous

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Neither acquiescence in skepticism nor acquiescence in dogma is what education should produce. What it should produce is a belief that knowledge is attainable in a measure, though with difficulty; that much of what passes for knowledge at any given time is likely to be more or less mistaken, but that the mistakes can be rectified by care and industry. In acting upon our beliefs, we should be very cautious where a small error would mean disaster; nevertheless it is upon our beliefs that we must act. This state of mind is rather difficult: it requires a high degree of intellectual culture without emotional atrophy. But though difficult, it is not impossible; it is in fact the scientific temper. Knowledge, like other good things, is difficult, but not impossible; the dogmatist forgets the difficulty, the skeptic denies the possibility. Both are mistaken, and their errors, when widespread, produce social disaster.

 

Bertrand Russell

 

Dr. Johnson was observed by a musical friend of his to be extremely inattentive at a concert, whilst a celebrated solo player was running up and down the divisions and subdivisions of notes upon his violin. His friend, to induce him to take greater notice of what was going on, told him how extremely difficult it was. 'Difficult, do you call it, Sir?' replied the Doctor; 'I wish it were impossible.'

 

Samuel Johnson

 

Teaching literature is impossible; that is why it is difficult.

 

Northrop Frye

 

The diagnosis of disease is often easy, often difficult, and often impossible.

 

Peter Mere Latham

 

It is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to think otherwise than in the fashion of their own period.

 

George Bernard Shaw