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Facts do not "speak for themselves." They speak for or against competing theories. Facts divorced from theory or visions are mere isolated curiosities.

— Thomas Sowell A Conflict of Visions (1987)

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Curiosity

More quotes by Thomas Sowell

Freedom has cost too much blood and agony to be relinquished at the cheap price of rhetoric.

Knowledge and Decisions (1980)

If there is one thing that is bipartisan in Washington, it is brazen hypocrisy.

Ideas are everywhere, but knowledge is rare.

Knowledge and Decisions (1980)

The fact that so many successful politicians are such shameless liars is not only a reflection on them, it is also a reflection on us. When the people want the impossible, only liars can satisfy.

Racism has never done this country any good, and it needs to be fought against, not put under new management for different groups.

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The basic drive behind real philosophy is curiosity about the world, not interest in the writings of philosophers.

Bryan Magee Confessions of a Philosopher (1997)

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

Samuel Johnson The Rambler (1750)

My brain, otherwise a sound instrument, has a serious defect—a hypertrophied lobe of curiosity.

Jack Vance The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph (1966)

Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.

James Stephens

Attribution

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