quote: Thucydides on wishful thinking and denial
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:49 pm
On the topics of wishful thinking contrasted with determined denial of unwanted facts:
I saw this in a lecture, and I thought it was an interesting observation on human nature. A sincere love of truth can help us avoid this form of denial and wishful thinking (II Thessalonians 2:9-12).Thucydides (400 B.C.) wrote:Their judgment was based on wishful thinking rather than on sound calculation of probabilities; for the usual thing among men, is when they want something, they will, without any reflection, leave that to hope; while they will employ the full force of reasoning in rejecting what they find unpalatable.