Leo Tolstoy on Stubbornness of Misbeliefs

I know that most men—not only those considered clever, but even those who are very clever and capable of understanding most difficult scientific, mathematical or philosophic problems—can very seldom discern even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as to oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions they have formed, perhaps with much difficulty—conclusions of which they are proud, which they have taught to others, and on which they have built their lives.

Tolstoy, Leo. 1996 [1897]. What is Art? Penguin. (p. 143)

***
Since you find value in the content and resources shared by the ES/PE community, please consider making a contribution to help sustain our work. Your support is vital to maintaining our independence and carrying forward our mission. You can donate securely now via this PayPal link. Every contribution makes a meaningful difference and helps ensure the continuation of accessible scholarship and useful information. Thank you for being part of this community!


Discover more from Economic Sociology & Political Economy

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

One comment

  1. I can why a professor who built a career on a theory would have trouble letting go of it, if it was disproven. To paraphrase Will Rogers, it’s hard for a person to give up a belief if their livelihood depends on that belief being true.

    Like

Leave a comment