Quotes about Interpretation

Whatever is received is received according to the nature of the recipient.

Whatever is received into something is received according to the condition of the receiver

No man ought to despise or in any way injure another man without urgent cause: and, consequently, unless we have evident indications of a person's wickedness, we ought to deem him good, by interpreting for the best whatever is doubtful about him.

He who interprets doubtful matters for the best, may happen to be deceived more often than not; yet it is better to err frequently through thinking well of a wicked man, than to err less frequently through having an evil opinion of a good man, because in the latter case an injury is inflicted, but not in the former.

I answer that, On this question Augustine differs from other expositors. His opinion is that all the days that are called seven, are one day represented in a sevenfold aspect (Gen. ad lit. iv, 22; De Civ. Dei xi, 9; Ad Orosium xxvi);

if someone ever asks you, "Do you believe in evolution?" you should ask that person, "What do you mean by evolution? Do you mean micro- or macroevolution?" Microevolution has been observed; but it cannot be used as evidence for macroevolution, which has never been observed.

Data has an annoying way of conforming itself to support whatever point of view we want it to support.

It appeared that nobody ever said a thing they meant, or ever talked of a feeling they felt, but that was what music was for.

I am tied down with single words. But you wander off; you slip away; you rise up higher, with words and words in phrases.

Freedom and fullness of expression are of the essence of the art.

Even the names of the books gave me food for thought.

Perhaps then one reason why we have no great poet, novelist or critic writing today is that we refuse to allow words their liberty. We pin them down to one meaning, their useful meaning: the meaning which makes us catch the train, the meaning which makes us pass the examination.