One knows quite well that harmony can be a harmony of appearances.

Rational discourse is only one way of presenting and examining an issue and by no means the best. Our new intellectuals are not aware of its limitations and of the nature of the things outside.

Copernicanism and other essential ingredients of modern science survived only because reason was frequently overruled in their past.

It is often assumed that science starts from facts and eschews counter-factual theories. Nothing could be further from the truth. What is one of the basic assumptions of the scientific world-view? That the variety of events that surrounds us is held together by a deeper unity.

Not only are facts and theories in constant disharmony, they are never as neatly separated as everyone makes them out to be.

Unanimity of opinion may be fitting for a church, for the frightened or greedy victims of some (ancient, or modern) myth, or for the weak and willing followers of some tyrant. Variety of opinion is necessary for objective knowledge. And a method that encourages variety is also the only method that is comparable with a humanitarian outlook.

Arguments hardly affect the faithful- their beliefs have an entirely different foundation.