Saturday, August 12, 2006

Commonplace Book

Of Truth
"What is truth?" said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer. Certainly there be that delight in giddiness, and count it a bondage to fix a belief; affecting free will in thinking, as well as in acting. And though the sects of philosophers of that kind be gone, yet there remain certain discoursing wits, which are of the same veins, through there be not so much blood in them as was in those of the ancients. But it is not only the difficulty and labor which men take in finding out of truth; nor again, that when it is found, it imposeth upon men's thoughts, that doth bring lies in favor; but a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself.

Bacon, Francis, "Of Truth" in ENGL308 Renaissance Literature Coursebook, Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington, 2006, p37.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I disagree with Bacon, Pilate did give an answer, to quote Pilate from the Jesux Christ Superstar musical

"We both have truths, are mine the same as yours?"

Thats the answer!

Stephanie said...

You would get on with one of the ENGL308 lecturers, Brian Opie. He's fascinated with the idea of multiple 'truths' being available to people.