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Our natures are, indeed, elusively insubstantial — notoriously less stable and less inherent than the natures of other things. And insofar as this is the case, sincerity itself is bullshit.

— Harry Frankfurt On Bullshit (2005)

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Honesty

More quotes by Harry Frankfurt

One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit.

On Bullshit (2005)

The production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person’s obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic are more excessive than his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that topic.

On Bullshit (2005)

[The bullshitter] does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose.

On Bullshit (2005)

All Harry Frankfurt quotes →

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You have to start with the truth. The truth is the only way that we can get anywhere. Because any decision-making that is based upon lies or ignorance can't lead to a good conclusion.

Julian Assange

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

Socrates

It is better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be stupid and speak lies.

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Who dares think one thing, and another tell,
My heart detests him as the gates of hell.

Homer Iliad (-750)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Harry Frankfurt (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.