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About this quote

What does it mean?
Weak logic can produce surprisingly interesting outcomes.
In plain terms
Bad reasoning often leads to curious results.
What can you take from it?
Even flawed arguments can reveal useful insights.

Where it applies

  • debates
  • brainstorming sessions

Putting it to work

  • examine why bad logic yields interesting effects

Questions to consider

  • Why do we find flawed logic entertaining?
  • When does a weak argument become valuable?

Another view

Interesting consequences may be irrelevant or misleading.

More from Bertrand Russell

  1. Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education.

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  2. Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality.

    Permalink to quote #156
  3. Hume, by his criticism of the concept of causality, awakened him from his dogmatic slumbers-so at least he says, but the awakening was only temporary, and he s…

    Permalink to quote #153

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