Archive

Quotes

The mind is led on, step by step, to defeat its own logic.

—Dai Vernon, 1994

In the society of men, the truth resides now less in what things are than in what they are not. Our social realities are so ugly if seen in the light of exiled truth, and beauty is almost no longer possible if it is not a lie.

—R.D. Laing, 1967

Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.

—Marlene Dietrich, 1962

Man is always a wizard to man, and the social world is at first magical.

—Jean-Paul Sartre, 1939

Once something becomes discernible, or understandable, we no longer need to repeat it. We can destroy it.

—Robert Wilson, 1991

Men willingly believe what they wish.

—Julius Caesar, c. 50 BC

In the past, men created witches; now they create mental patients.

—Thomas Szasz, 1970

Egypt was the mother of magicians.

—Clement of Alexandria, c. 200

A miracle entails a degree of irrationality—not because it shocks reason, but because it makes no appeal to it.

—Emmanuel Lévinas, 1952

To blow and to swallow at the same time is not easy; I cannot at the same time be here and also there.

—Plautus, c. 200 BC

Nothing from nothing ever yet was born.

—Lucretius, c. 58 BC

The Mughal’s nature is such that they demand miracles, but if a miracle were to be performed by some upright follower of our religion, they would say that it had been brought about by magic and sorcery. They would strike him down with spears or would stone him to death.

—Fr. Antonio Monserrate, 1590

Appearances often are deceiving.

—Aesop, c. 550 BC