Denis Diderot :
There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge available to us: observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination. Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We rarely see these three means combined; and for this reason, creative geniuses are not common.
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Knowledge
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Creativity
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Genius
Gift it
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![Powerpoint](http://www.iwise.com/downloadPPT.php?quote_id=79439&author=Denis Diderot"e=Reason+is+to+the+philosopher+what+grace+is+to+the+Christian.%0AGrace+causes+the+Christian+to+act%2C+reason+the+philosopher.+Other+men+are+carried+away+by+their+passions%2C+their+actions+not+being+preceded+by+reflection%3A+these+are+the+men+who+walk+in+darkness.+On+the+other+hand%2C+the+philosopher%2C+even+in+his+passions%2C+acts+only+after+reflection%3B+he+walks+in+the+dark%2C+but+by+a+torch.%0AThe+philosopher+forms+his+principles+from+an+infinity+of+particular+observations.+Most+people+adopt+principles+without+thinking+of+the+observations+that+have+produced+them%2C+they+believe+the+maxims+exist%2C+so+to+speak%2C+by+themselves.+But+the+philosopher+takes+maxims+from+their+source%3B+he+examines+their+origin%3B+he+knows+their+proper+value%2C+and+he+makes+use+of+them+only+in+so+far+as+they+suit+him.%0ATruth+is+not+for+the+philosopher+a+mistress+who+corrupts+his+imagination+and+whom+he+believes+to+be+found+everywhere%3B+he+contents+himself+with+being+able+to+unravel+it+where+he+can+perceive+it.+He+does+not+confound+it+with+probability%3B+he+takes+for+true+what+is+true%2C+for+false+what+is+false%2C+for+doubtful+what+is+doubtful%2C+and+probable+what+is+only+probable.+He+does+more%2C+and+here+you+have+a+great+perfection+of+the+philosopher%3A+when+he+has+no+reason+by+which+to+judge%2C+he+knows+how+to+live+in+suspension+of+judgment...%0AThe+philosophical+spirit+is%2C+then%2C+a+spirit+of+observation+and+exactness%2C+which+relates+everything+to+true+principles...%0A&image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwise.com%2FauthorIcons%2F338%2FDenis_Diderot_64x64.png){kind=link}
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