The most violent revolutions in an individuals beliefs leave most of his old order standing. Time and space, cause and effect, nature and history, and ones own biography remain untouched. New truth is always a go-between, a smoother-over of transitions. It marries old opinion to new fact so as ever to show a minimum of jolt, a maximum of continuity.

Summary

This quote by American philosopher, psychologist, and educator, William James, suggests that even when someone goes through radical changes in their beliefs, they often still cling to aspects of their old beliefs or preconceived notions. The new truths they embrace are merely intermediaries that allow for a more harmonious transition without causing significant disruptions. This notion implies that individuals tend to seek continuity and coherence in their worldview, attempting to reconcile their old and new beliefs to maintain a sense of stability and avoid too much upheaval in their perspective on time, space, causality, history, and personal experiences.