Observation Quotes - Page 16

• A maxim is a conclusion upon observation of matters of fact, and is merely speculative; a "principle" carries knowledge within itself, and is prospective.

  Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  Principles, Matter, Facts

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• Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about in a wheelchair, ought to get married or ought not to be pregnant -- see if you can refrain from bringing these astonishing observations to that person's attention.

  Judith Martin

  Hair, Attention, Red

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• Sin is a basilisk whose eyes are full of venom. If the eye of thy soul see her first, it reflects her own poison and kills her; if she see thy soul, unseen, or seen too late, with her poison, she kills thee: since therefore thou canst not escape thy sin, let not thy sin escape thy observation.

  Francis Quarles

  Eye, Soul, Firsts

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• It is for the most part in our skill in manners, and in the observations of time and place and of decency in general, that what is called taste by way of distinction consists; and which is in reality no other than a more refined judgment.

  Edmund Burke

  Reality, Skills, Way

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• Certainly I do not wish that instead of these masters I had read baby books, written down to children, and with such ignorant dullness that they blunt the sense and corrupt the tastes of the still plastic human being. But I do wish that I had read no books at all till later - that I had lived with toys, and played in the open air. Children should not cull the fruits of reflection and observation early, but expand in the sun, and let thoughts come to them. They should not through books antedate their actual experiences.

  Margaret Fuller

  Baby, Children, Book

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• He who lets the world, or his own portion of it, choose his plan of life for him, has no need of any other faculty than the ape-like one of imitation. He who chooses his plan for himself, employs all his faculties. He must use observation to see, reasoning and judgment to foresee, activity to gather materials for decision, discrimination to decide, and when he has decided, firmness and self-control to hold to his deliberate decision.

  John Stuart Mill

  Self, Decision, Apes

  John Stuart Mill (1865). “On Liberty”, p.34

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• It is a common observation that those who dwell continually upon their expectations are apt to become oblivious to the requirements of their actual situation.

  Charles Sanders Peirce

  Acceptance, Expectations, Requirements

  Charles Sanders Peirce (1958). “Selected Writings (Values in a Universe of Chance)”, p.19, Courier Corporation

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• Averages ... seduce us away from minute observation.

  Florence Nightingale

  Science, Average, Data

  Florence Nightingale (1859). “Notes on Nursing: What it Is, and what it is Not”, p.69

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• Very often there is too little information in photographs to deduce how they were made and even what they represent. We rely on context and supplemental information to confirm our observations, not simply the documents themselves.

  John Paul Caponigro

  Littles, Information, Photographer

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• The human mind feels restless and dissatisfied under the anxieties of ignorance. It longs for the repose of conviction; and to gain this repose it will often rather precipitate its conclusions than wait for the tardy lights of observation and experiment. There is such a thing, too, as the love of simplicity and system,--a prejudice of the understanding which disposes it to include all the phenomena of nature under a few sweeping generalities,--an indolence which loves to repose on the beauties of a theory rather than encounter the fatiguing detail of its evidences.

  Thomas Chalmers

  Ignorance, Light, Simplicity

  Thomas Chalmers (1836). “Works”, p.314

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• I think when you practice photography or observation, you're on high alert. You polish up your antenna and stick up your head, and you're out there. You're receptive, appreciative of details. It heightens reality. You're trying to step into your alertness.

  Debra Granik

  Photography, Reality, Thinking

  "Debra Granik on "poverty porn," self-worth, and her new film, Stray Dog". Interview with Sam Fragoso, film.avclub.com. July 11, 2015.

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• It is my observation that 98% of the people are spending 98% of their time focusing on the 98% of things that don't matter. Stopping meditation is one of the easiest, quickest and most powerful forms of meditation. It is virtually effortless and its power relative to the effort is remarkable.

  Neale Donald Walsch

  Powerful, People, Effort

  Source: www.trulyalive.net

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• Examining love is like examining a stocking: if you hold it up to the light and stretch it to search for snags, any snags there are may well run and ruin the stocking. In fact, if I may fashion Coudert's law from Heisenberg's principle of indeterminacy, it is this: Love is not only changed by observation; it is changed for the worse.

  Jo Coudert

  Running, Fashion, Love Is

  Jo Coudert (2003). “Advice from a Failure”, p.156, iUniverse

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• Individuality in opinion, or, what is more, in thinking, is simply one with thinking at all; for he who thinks thereby looks at the thing or the fact itself and takes its measure by observation directly, not content with the measures of others.

  James Vila Blake

  Thinking, Individuality, Looks

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• The drive of the story is sort of hinted at the beginning, is Joy and Sadness and those two characters. Especially Joy starting to understand that there's more to life than being happy. And so that's based on real life observations and things that we've learned as adults.

  Pete Docter

  Real, Character, Sadness

  "Inside Out and Lava: Sneak Peek". Interview with Tara Salinas, www.trippinwithtara.com. March 12, 2015.

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• I wouldn't even dare read the Torah, let alone attempt a witty observation on the Torah.

  Charles Grodin

  Witty, Torah, Dare

  Interview with Nathan Rabin, www.avclub.com. May 20, 2009.

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• Part of the experience of enjoying a tennis match on TV is listening to the observations of an expert commentator -- one who knows the sport, has a genuine passion for the game, respects the viewers' intelligence, knows when to talk and when to keep quiet, can make you laugh and is not afraid to call a spade a spade.

  Dave McPherson

  Sports, Passion, Games

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• Why has no one written a November rhapsody with plenty of lilt and swing? The poets who are moved at all by this month seem only stirred to lamentation, giving us year end and 'melancholy days' remarks, thereby showing that theory is stronger than observation among the rhyming brotherhood, or else that they have chronic indigestion and no gardens to stimulate them.

  Mabel Osgood Wright

  Garden, Swings, Years

  Mabel Osgood Wright (1901). “The garden of a commuter's wife”

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• I look upon the vulgar observation, 'That the devil often deserts his friends, and leaves them in the lurch,' to be a great abuse on that gentleman's character. Perhaps he may sometimes desert those who are only his cup acquaintance; or who, at most, are but half his; but he generally stands by those who are thoroughly his servants, and helps them off in all extremities, till their bargain expires.

  Henry Fielding

  Character, Gentleman, Abuse

  Henry Fielding (1975). “The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling”, p.933, Wesleyan University Press

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• Every science consists in the coordination of facts; if the different observations were entirely isolated, there would be no science.

  Auguste Comte

  Different, Would Be, Facts

  Auguste Comte (1851). “The Philosophy of Mathematics”, p.26

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• I like my jokes to be built on a foundation of ideas, or at least smart observations.

  George Carlin

  Smart, Ideas, Foundation

  Source: www.avclub.com

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• Discerning the merits of competing claims is where the empirical basis of science should play a role. I cannot stress often enough that what science is all about is not proving things to be true but proving them to be false. What fails the test of empirical reality, as determined by observation and experiment, gets thrown out like yesterday's newspaper.

  Lawrence M. Krauss

  Stress, Reality, Play

  "War Is Peace: Can Science Fight Media Disinformation?". www.scientificamerican.com. December 1, 2009.

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• The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours to elude or avoid it.

  David Hume

  Philosophy, Weakness, Elude

  David Hume (1861). “Philosophical Essays concerning Human Understanding ... Second edition. With additions and corrections”, p.20

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• The magical descriptions of Italy and hilarious observations about love, travel, natives and foreigners in Love in Idleness are but a few of its many pleasures. Amanda Craig has created a hot shimmery climate in which a cast of old friends, quirky family members and naughty children who make love potions come to know themselves and their hearts. A delightful brew.

  Jane Hamilton

  Children, Heart, Naughty

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• Rosanne Daryl Thomas's tale of her enchantment by bees is a delight to read. It also contains close observations of the natural world, tales of failure and triumph with the hives, and a stellar cast of characters that includes her daughter, their cats, the hapless Farmer Tom, Pete the crossing guard, and, most important, the Bee Master. Every word tastes sweet as honey.

  Janet Lembke

  Daughter, Sweet, Character

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