Life is an error-making and an error-correcting process, and nature in marking man's papers will grade him for wisdom as measured both by survival and by the quality of life of those who survive.
quote by Jonas Salk

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
The Error
this is not an ordinary error that one corrects
like a grammatical mistake
that with a slight stroke of the pen
everything becomes correct
and acceptable
this is repeated error
one knows it is an error but one does not correct it
it plunges and pushes and pulls
back to the same error again
something delicious
so sweet to the tongue
the mouth salivates
and the heart pounces upon
a thousand breathings
this is the error that one always looks forward to see
one evening and another
in a room the two of you sharing it
you kneel and pray and soar to heights
without so many words wasted
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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No consensus of men can make an error erroneous. We can only find or commit an error, not create it. When we commit an error, we say what was an error already.
quote by Josiah Royce

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Vivien’s Song
at the l.l.a. examination
In Algebra, if Algebra be ours,
x and x2 can ne'er be equal powers,
Unless x=1, or none at all.
It is the little error in the sum,
That by and by will make the answer come
To something queer, or else not come at all.
The little error in the easy sum,
The little slit across the kettle-drum,
That makes the instrument not play at all.
It is not worth correcting: let it go:
But shall I? Answer, Prudence, answer, no.
And bid me do it right or not at all.
poem by Robert Fuller Murray

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The one big strategic error - which was a political error and an economic error of grand proportions - was the prescription drug bill.
quote by David Keene

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It is the nature of every person to error, but only the fool perseveres in error.
quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth--that the error and truth are simply opposite. They are nothing of the sort. What the world turns to, when it is cured on one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one.
quote by H.L. Mencken

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Last Night As I Was Sleeping
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
poem by Antonio Machado

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The World Is Not Fair
Error in findings or
Error in perception
Reflects in judgment,
Not to say prejudices.
Error in judgment
Will cost the subject,
Which has no alternative.
Hence, suffering is undue.
The world is not fair.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

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Our capital system is haunted by the demon of error: error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die. What effect was race having? What effect was poverty having?
quote by George Ryan

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Our own political life is predicated on openness. We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to enquire. We know that the wages of secrecy are corruption. We know that in secrecy error, undetected, will flourish and subvert.
quote by Robert Oppenheimer

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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To make a error is human; pushing the same error is dumb.

A small error in the former will produce an enormous error in the latter.
quote by Henri Poincare

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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From error to error, one discovers the entire truth.
quote by Sigmund Freud

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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From Printed Ink
There are books and schools.
And then there is life!
To live and experience.
There is not a page anyone can turn,
That will prepare one's life to compare.
Or given chances to rehearse with notes...
To insure good grades.
Or a grade of fair!
Life isn't played that way.
If one is not living with common sense...
Or sitting in anticipation for its coming,
From a lesson plan one learns.
The process can be stern.
It doesn't always come from printed ink...
How one thinks what to do next,
When the subject begins to personalize!
And one's survival is on the line!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Out There In Nature's Wild Kingdom
Out there in Nature's wild kingdom the struggle is for to survive
And the strongest and the fittest can only hope to thrive
In a time of Global warming chances of extinction multiply
And people as well as all of life endangered as the Planet becomes more dry,
Out there in Nature's wild kingdom by men one more wood is cut down
For to build a new housing estate on the verge of the town
Habitat destruction a huge threat to wildlife
In a World where human greed is becoming more rife
Out there amongst Nature birds and beasts of prey
The creatures of night and the creatures of day
Must kill for to eat such is life one might say
Survival of the fittest that is Nature's way
And out there in Nature's kingdom the fittest survive
And most creatures must struggle just to stay alive.
poem by Francis Duggan

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The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error.
Bertolt Brecht in The life of Galileo

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nature errs, for indeed, it is an error to place so many aspirations and so much thirst for life in a frail and perishable body.
aphorism by Valeriu Butulescu from Immensity of the Point, translated by Eva A. Ziem

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The School Of Life
The place were much was learned; The School Of Life.
A far different place than papers, books, and homework.
The School of Life, is a never ending, when it comes to lessons.
In The School Of Life, I have learned, that not
all, is ever learned, or comprehended.
The School Of Life, often teaches one, some bitter and
disappointing lessons.
This school, reveals much in the way of surprises. Many
that of a happy nature and some, devastating.
Somehow, The School Of Life, teaches one, to keep going.
To try...try and try again. We learn that much is gained
through tenacity. We learn it matters not how many times
one is knocked down, for it is how many times we get
up, that is the test in this school.
We learn of mans inhumanity to man. We learn that in
helping our fellow human beings, there is much reward.
We learn, that The School Of Life, has no graduating day.
We learn, that we remain, an ongoing student of education.
The School Of Life, does have its rewards; a diploma of
knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
The School Of Life, better than any college in the world.
The School of Life, where knowledge is ones ticket to
anyplace in the world.
Learn ye well, for in The School Of Life, one does not
have the opportunity to repeat a grade.
The School Of Life...
The place were much was learned; The School Of Life.
A far different place than papers, books, and homework.
The School of Life, is a never ending, when it comes to lessons.
In The School Of Life, I have learned, that not
all, is ever learned, or comprehended.
The School Of Life, often teaches one, some bitter and
disappointing lessons.
This school, reveals much in the way of surprises. Many
that of a happy nature and some, devastating.
Somehow, The School Of Life, teaches one, to keep going.
To try...try and try again. We learn that much is gained
through tenacity. We learn it matters not how many times
one is knocked down, for it is how many times we get
up, that is the test in this school.
We learn of mans inhumanity to man. We learn that in
helping our fellow human beings, there is much reward.
We learn, that The School Of Life, has no graduating day.
We learn, that we remain, an ongoing student of education.
The School Of Life, does have its rewards; a diploma of
knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
The School Of Life, better than any college in the world.
The School of Life, where knowledge is ones ticket to
anyplace in the world.
Learn ye well, for in The School Of Life, one does not
have the opportunity to repeat a grade.