“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.”
Explanation
Pascal warns that in an age where lies are normalized and truth is buried, intellectual effort alone is not enough to discern what is real—we must also love the truth. When falsehood is entrenched in society, culture, or institutions, the mind is easily misled unless it is guided by a sincere, moral commitment to truth itself. Only those who desire truth deeply—who are willing to seek it at personal cost—will be able to recognize and accept it.
This theme runs throughout Pensées, where Pascal often laments how pride, comfort, and distraction lead people to embrace convenient illusions over uncomfortable truths. He believed that human reason is vulnerable to corruption not just by ignorance, but by the will’s resistance to truth—particularly when that truth challenges one’s lifestyle, beliefs, or status. To know the truth, then, one must first be inwardly disposed to accept it, which requires humility, courage, and love.
In today’s world of misinformation, polarized media, and ideological echo chambers, Pascal’s insight feels especially prescient. Truth is often hidden beneath noise, distortion, or manipulation, and without a genuine love for it—above self-interest or popularity—we risk becoming complicit in deception. His quote reminds us that truth is not merely a concept to be analyzed, but a virtue to be pursued, and that only those who love it can hope to know it.
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