To become historically-minded is to be grown-up.

Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do.

We like to continue to believe what we have been accustomed to accept as true, and the resentment aroused when doubt is cast upon any of our assumptions leads us to seek every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do.

Curiosity is idle only to those who fail to realize that it may be a very rare and indispensable thing.

To become historically-minded is to be grown-up.

Rationalizing is the self-exculpation which occurs when we feel ourselves, or our group, accused of misapprehension or error.

We continue to think of new things in old ways.