Harry Frankfurt Quotes

The fact about himself that the liar hides is that he is attempting to lead us away from a correct apprehension of reality; we are not to know that he wants us to believe something he supposes to be false. The fact about himself that the bullshitter hides, on the other hand, is that the truth-values of his statements are of no central interest to him . . . He does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose.

Harry Frankfurt

• Reality
• Liar

• Previous
• Next

Quotes to Explore

• The inner reality of love can be recognized only by love.

  

  Hans Urs von Balthasar
  • Love
  • Reality
  • Can

• Once you have perfect virtual reality, what else are you supposed to perfect?

  

  Palmer Luckey
  • Reality
  • You
  • Perfect

• One of the reasons I've gotten so attached to talking to scientists is that... they know there is a reality.

  

  A. S. Byatt
  • Reality
  • Know
  • Talking

• I knew it was time to get off of reality TV when someone asked me if I sang as well as acted.

  

  Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath
  • Time
  • Reality
  • Me

• You think about the artists I look at as icons, and you assume they were instantly embraced. That's usually not the case. In reality, they had to overcome a lot of noes to get where they wanted to be.

  

  Sam Hunt
  • Think
  • Reality
  • Look

• I believe we can do more in making the President's vision for space exploration a reality by awarding cash prizes to encourage greater participation of the private sector in the national space program.

  

  Dana Rohrabacher
  • Believe
  • Reality
  • Space

• I'm not proud of it, but I'm a great liar when I travel. I smile and lie, and things are smooth.

  

  Paolo Bacigalupi
  • Great
  • Proud
  • Travel

• The fundamental laws of physics do not describe true facts about reality. Rendered as descriptions of facts, they are false; amended to be true, they lose their explanatory force.

  

  Nancy Cartwright
  • True
  • Reality
  • Facts

• I must try and break through the cliches about Latin America. Superpowers and other outsiders have fought over us for centuries in ways that have nothing to do with our problems. In reality we are all alone.

  

  Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • America
  • Reality
  • Alone

• The 21st-century curator works in a supremely globalised reality.

  

  Hans-Ulrich Obrist
  • Reality
  • Works
  • Curator

• I've been a staunch advocate of women's empowerment, and I've worked hard throughout my career to advance the cause. It is heartening to see that gender equality is really becoming more of a reality. There is still much more to be done, and I'm confident that, by working together, we can empower women worldwide.

  

  Madhuri Dixit
  • Women
  • Done
  • Together

• Reality can be elastic, and I want to see how elastic it can be, you know?

  

  Yoko Ono
  • Want
  • Reality
  • Know

• I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life.

  

  J. D. Salinger
  • Life
  • You
  • Liar

• We know as little of a supreme being as of Matter. But there is as little doubt of the existence of a supreme being as of Matter. The world beyond is reality, and experiential fact. We only don't understand it.

  

  Carl Jung
  • World
  • Reality
  • Doubt

• In wartime Shanghai I saw so many horrors … Civilised life is based on a huge number of illusions in which we all collaborate willingly. The trouble is, we forget after a while that they are illusions and we are deeply shocked when reality is torn down around us.

  

  J. G. Ballard
  • Life
  • Reality

• Some people think reality must be constantly depressing, but I think reality is something you rise above.

  

  Liza Minnelli
  • People
  • Reality

• If you start off writing an album with a band, the reality is that you're constantly in each other's company, so it's really important that you get on with each other.

  

  Bernard Sumner Joy Division
  • Important
  • Writing
  • Reality

• A studio allows me more freedom. You can create your own sort of reality which is actually more exciting than shooting on location. You can conjure up a complete atmosphere of escapism for the public.

  

  Ken Adam
  • Up
  • Reality
  • Freedom

• I request you to try to be warm-hearted. I ask this of you because these mental attitudes actually bring us happiness.

  

  Dalai Lama
  • Trying
  • Attitude
  • Request

• Why dost thou shrink from my approach, O Man? Why dost thou ever flee in fear, and cling To my false rival, Life? I do but bring Thee rest and calm. Then wherefore dost thou ban And curse me? Since the forming of God's plan I have not hurt or harmed a mortal thing, I have bestowed sweet balm for every sting, And peace eternal for earth's stormy span.

  

  Ella Wheeler Wilcox
  • Life
  • God
  • Men

• Independent publishing gives everyone a voice, and those with a voice to which people inherently want to listen will find a way to the top.

  

  Ben Clymer
  • Independent
  • Voice
  • Publishing

• I loved playing for Coach Ambrose, and I definitely love playing for Coach Wright.

  

  Jalen Brunson

• Blended-reality technology could play in a limited, walled-garden world, but history suggests that it won't really take off until it offers broad freedom of use.

  

  Jamais Cascio
  • World
  • History
  • Reality

• The fact about himself that the liar hides is that he is attempting to lead us away from a correct apprehension of reality; we are not to know that he wants us to believe something he supposes to be false. The fact about himself that the bullshitter hides, on the other hand, is that the truth-values of his statements are of no central interest to him . . . He does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose.

  

  Harry Frankfurt
  • Reality
  • Liar