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The real trouble with this world of ours is not that it is an unreasonable world, nor even that it is a reasonable one. The commonest kind of trouble is that it is nearly reasonable, but not quite. Life is not an illogicality; yet it is a trap for logicians. It looks just a little more mathematical and regular than it is; its exactitude is obvious, but its inexactitude is hidden; its wildness lies in wait.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton#126

PhilosophyLogicRealityExpectationsReasoning

About this quote

What does it mean?
The world appears mostly logical but contains hidden inconsistencies that confuse those who seek perfect order.
In plain terms
Life looks regular but has hidden wildness that traps strict logic.
What can you take from it?
Expect hidden irregularities even in systems that seem orderly.

Where it applies

  • problem solving
  • scientific inquiry
  • philosophical debate

Putting it to work

  • question assumptions
  • prepare for anomalies

Questions to consider

  • How do you handle unexpected outcomes?
  • Where does logic fail in your work?

Another view

Some situations are genuinely chaotic without hidden order.

More from Gilbert Keith Chesterton

  1. Fairyland is nothing but the sunny country of common sense.

    Permalink to quote #125
  2. Take the case of courage. No quality has ever so much addled the brains and tangled the definitions of merely rational sages. Courage is almost a contradiction…

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  3. It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act of faith to assert that our thoughts have an…

    Permalink to quote #124

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