“Martel still did not want to believe in it, but brute experience of it forced him to, whatever his preferences.”

—  James Blish

Source: Short fiction, Midsummer Century (1972), Chapter 9 (p. 63)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Martel still did not want to believe in it, but brute experience of it forced him to, whatever his preferences." by James Blish?
James Blish photo
James Blish 30
American author 1921–1975

Related quotes

Mahatma Gandhi photo

“In this age of the rule of brute force, it is almost impossible for anyone to believe that anyone else could possibly reject the law of final supremacy of brute force.”

Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) pre-eminent leader of Indian nationalism during British-ruled India

1920s, The Doctrine Of The Sword (1920)
Context: In this age of the rule of brute force, it is almost impossible for anyone to believe that anyone else could possibly reject the law of final supremacy of brute force. And so I receive anonymous letters advising me that I must not interfere with the progress of non-co-operation even though popular violence may break out. Others come to me and assuming that secretly I must be plotting violence, inquire when the happy moment for declaring open violence to arrive. They assure me that English never yield to anything but violence secret or open. Yet others I am informed, believe that I am the most rascally person living in India because I never give out my real intention and that they have not a shadow of a doubt that I believe in violence just as much as most people do.
Such being the hold that the doctrine of the sword has on the majority of mankind, and as success of non-co-operation depends principally on absence of violence during its pendency and as my views in this matter affect the conduct of large number of people. I am anxious to state them as clearly as possible.
I do believe that where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence I would advise violence.

Robert Owen photo
Robert G. Ingersoll photo

“For thousands of years people have been trying to force other people to think their way. Did they succeed? No. Will they succeed? No. Why? Because brute force is not an argument.”

Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–1899) Union United States Army officer

The trial of Charles B. Reynolds for blasphemy (1887)

Rick Riordan photo

“Intelligence won wars, not brute force.”

Source: The Staff of Serapis

Ken Thompson photo

“When in doubt, use brute force.”

Ken Thompson (1943) American computer scientist, creator of the Unix operating system

Source: http://wiki.c2.com/?BruteForce

Mark Hopkins (educator) photo
Seal (musician) photo

“People can believe whatever they want to believe.”

Seal (musician) (1963) British singer-songwriter

On his facial scars which were the result of a childhood bout with Lupus, as quoted in "Seal: Still Crazy After All These Years" by Fiona Sturges in The Independent (11 October 2003)
Context: I've heard everything —that they were the result of ancient ritual induction into childhood that involved wrestling a wild boar, that I was viciously attacked by a gang. Someone even wrote that I was abducted by aliens who left me with a mark. You know, I really don't care. People can believe whatever they want to believe.

Joseph Arch photo
Hugo Chávez photo

Related topics