I'm not afraid of facts, I welcome facts but a congeries of facts is not equivalent to an idea. This is the essential fallacy of the so-called scientific mind. People who mistake facts for ideas are incomplete thinkers; they are gossips.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the distinction between facts and ideas. It suggests that while facts are important and should be acknowledged, they alone do not constitute an idea. The quote criticizes those who solely rely on a collection of facts without further analysis or synthesis, labeling them as incomplete thinkers or gossips. It highlights the need to go beyond surface-level information and engage in critical thinking to develop well-formed ideas.

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