There are two sorts of truth: trivialities, where opposites are clearly absurd, and profound truths, recognised by the fact that the opposite is also a profound truth
Interpretation
Truth can be categorized into simple, obvious truths and deeper, more complex truths where opposing views can coexist.
Niels Bohr's quote suggests that while some truths are straightforward and easily identifiable, profound truths often carry layers of complexity and nuance. This complexity is highlighted by the idea that legitimate opposing perspectives can both hold validity, reflecting the depth and richness of human understanding and the nature of truth itself.
In practice
In a philosophy class discussing different viewpoints on moral truths.
When asked ... [about] an underlying quantum world, Bohr would answer, 'There is no quantum world. There is only an abstract quantum physical description. It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about Nature.'
An independant reality in the ordinary physical sense can neither be ascribed to the phenomenon nor to the agencies of observation.
An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field.
Those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it.
When searching for harmony in life one must never forget that in the drama of existence we are ourselves both actors and spectators.
And anyone who thinks they can talk about quantum theory without feeling dizzy hasn't yet understood the first thing about it.
For years, I prayed to the gods of Cao Dai for healing and peace. But as one prayer after another went unanswered, it became clear that either they were nonexistent or they did not care to lend a hand.
We can see well into the past; we can guess shrewdly into the future, but that which is rolled up and muffled in impenetrable folds is today.
There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers.
And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are. All we can say is that this is a good deed, because it helps someone or that's an evil one because it hurts them. People are too complicated to have simple labels.
Many people feel "guilty" about things they shouldn't feel guilty about, in order to shut out feelings of guilt about things they should feel guilty about.
The superiority of one man's opinion over another's is never so great as when the opinion is about a woman.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.