Q0351
“Seek simplicity and distrust it.” — Alfred North Whitehead (Adventures of Ideas)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Adventures of Ideas. Theme: critique.
English
Seek simplicity and distrust it.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Adventures of Ideas and files it under Process Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Alfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) was an English mathematician-philosopher who co-authored Principia Mathematica with Russell, then developed process metaphysics at Harvard. Science and the Modern World and Process and Reality rethink nature as events, not inert stuff.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paulin Hountondji and Aimé Césaire), critique is framed through Africana Philosophy and Critical Rationalism. Some passages define critique; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through critique, method.
Concepts in this quote
- Critique
- Critique appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat critique as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Method
- Method appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat method as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Alfred North Whitehead. (n.d.). Seek simplicity and distrust it. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0351
MLA: Alfred North Whitehead. “Seek simplicity and distrust it..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0351.
Chicago: Alfred North Whitehead. “Seek simplicity and distrust it..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0351.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Seek simplicity and distrust it.”?
The passage is attributed to Alfred North Whitehead, Adventures of Ideas. The archive attributes this English wording to Adventures of Ideas and files it under Process Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Alfred North Whitehead mean by critique?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Paulin Hountondji and Aimé Césaire), critique is framed through Africana Philosophy and Critical Rationalism. Some passages define critique; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through critique, method.