-Avowals and Denials (1934)
Quotes by and posts relating to one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, G.K. Chesterton
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
The truth I think is this: that since the triumph of what was called rationalism, we have successfully cultivated everything
except reason. Many modern minds, not only eminent but normal
modern minds, have been trained to a quite exquisite appreciation of art
or music or landscape; and can detect and even describe fine shades in
these things, that would probably have been missed altogether by
Aristotle or Dr. Johnson. But if it came to argument, to clear and
connected argument, either Aristotle or Dr. Johnson would have thought
he had got into an infant school. Dr. Johnson would probably have said
an idiot school. But I do not say it; having no claim to emulate
Dr. Johnson in his talents and virtues, I need not needlessly emulate
him in his faults and exaggerations. The men with this mental
disproportion are not fools; many of them are brilliant and subtle
writers along literary lines, where I could never hope to follow them.
But they seem somehow to have forgotten how to set about forming a
reasonable conclusion about anything. They are masters in the art of
appreciating, describing, and analysing impressions; but they do not
seem to know how to make any deductions [...] when he is asked to test the impression in relation to truth, he does not seem to know the technique of such a test.
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