Raymond Smullyan Quotes

• There is nothing like a naturalistic orientation to dispel all these morbid thoughts of "sin" and "free will" and "moral responsibility.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Responsibility   Moral   Sin  

  Jason Rosenhouse, Raymond M. Smullyan (2014). “Four Lives: A Celebration of Raymond Smullyan”, p.325, Courier Corporation

  5073

• Recently, someone asked me if I believed in astrology. He seemed somewhat puzzled when I explained that the reason I don't is that I'm a Gemini.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Astrology   Reason   Puzzled  

  Raymond Smullyan (1983). “Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies”, p.31, Macmillan

  5135

• Humor could not flourish in a wholly serious and rational atmosphere.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Atmosphere   Serious   Rational  

  Raymond M. Smullyan, Jason Rosenhouse (2014). “Four Lives: A Celebration of Raymond Smullyan”, p.273, Courier Corporation

  1778

• Some people are always critical of vague statements. I tend rather to be critical of precise statements; they are the only ones which can correctly be labeled wrong.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  People   Criticism   Critics  

  Raymond M. Smullyan (2013). “The Tao Is Silent”, p.25, Harper Collins

  250

• Why should I be worried about dying? It's not going to happen in my lifetime!

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Dying   Lifetime   Worried  

  Raymond Smullyan (1986). “This Book Needs No Title: A Budget of Living Paradoxes”, p.58, Simon and Schuster

  761

• All my life I have been intensely repelled by the idea of 'making an effort'. I hate this idea today as much as I did as a child. I don't know why I hate it so much; I just do.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Children   Hate   Ideas  

  5133

• Because I have been a magician for many years, people have often asked me whether I ever have sawn a woman in half. I reply, Oh, yes I've sawn over seventy women in half in my lifetime, and I'm learning the second half of the trick now.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Years   People   Half  

  Raymond Smullyan (1983). “Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies”, p.31, Macmillan

  2286

• Metaphysical problems about "mind" versus "matter" arise only from epistemological confusions.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Confusion   Mind   Matter  

  Raymond Smullyan (1983). “Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies”, p.84, Macmillan

  2495

• I have free will, but not of my own choice. I have never freely chosen to have free will. I have to have free will, whether I like it or not!

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Choices   Free Will   Chosen  

  Raymond M. Smullyan, Jason Rosenhouse (2014). “Four Lives: A Celebration of Raymond Smullyan”, p.305, Courier Corporation

  2852

• I believe that either Jupiter has life or it doesn't. But I neither believe that it does, nor do I believe that it doesn't.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Believe   Jupiter   Doe  

  Raymond Smullyan (1983). “Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies”, p.88, Macmillan

  4763

• Why should I be worried about death?

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Worried   Should   Should I  

  2087

• It has always puzzled me that so many people have taken it for granted that God favors those who believe in him. Isn't it possible that the actual God is a scientific God who has little patience with beliefs founded on faith rather than evidence?

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Believe   Taken   People  

  Raymond Smullyan (1983). “Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies”, p.33, Macmillan

  3397

• Why do I act as I do? To tell you the truth, I have absolutely no idea why. It is simply my nature to act as I act, and that's all I can say.

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  Raymond Smullyan

  Math   Ideas   No Idea  

  2749

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