2 ms·
"How convenient does it prove to be a rational animal, that knows how to find or invent a plausible pretext for whatever it has an inclination so to do." - Benj
by silentbicycle 18y ago
"How convenient does it prove to be a rational animal, that knows how to find or invent a plausible pretext for whatever it has an inclination so to do." - Benjamin Franklin
(Sometimes quoted as the punchier, "Man is a rational animal. He can think up a reason for anything he wants to believe." That's probably just a paraphrase, though.)
- davidmathers 18y agoSeveral philosophers have quotes like "Man is not a rational animal, but a rationalizing animal." and "People don't want things because they have reasons, they find reasons for things because they want them." I think Schopenhauer and Kierkegaard both have quotes along those lines. Not sure how many others.