Umberto Eco + Star Wars

True learning must not be content with ideas, which are, in fact, signs, but must discover things in their individual truth.

Monsters exist because they are part of the divine plan, and in the horrible features of those same monsters the power of the creator is revealed.

Fear prophets, Adso, and those prepared to die for the truth, for as a rule they make many others die with them, often before them, at times instead of them.

Books are not made to be believed, but to be subjected to inquiry.

Love is wiser than wisdom.

There are more people than you think who want to have a challenging experience, in which they are obliged to reflect about the past.

The concept of ugliness, as U. Eco so graphically proves in his impressive historical-theoretical research, may be linked to fear, anxiety, racial prejudice, humour, cruelty, existential anguish, etc.

When one starts writing a book, especially a novel, even the humblest person in the world hopes to become Homer.

There are more books in the world than hours in which to read them. We are thus deeply influenced by books we haven't read, that we haven't had the time to read.

As a scholar I am interested in the philosophy of language, semiotics, call it what you want, and one of the main features of the human language is the possibility of lying.

Human beings are religious animals.

Political satire is a serious thing. In democratic newspapers throughout the world there are daily cartoons that often are not even funny, as is the case especially in many English-language newspapers. Instead, they contain a political message, and the artist takes full responsibility.

I write what I write.

In the United States there's a Puritan ethic and a mythology of success. He who is successful is good. In Latin countries, in Catholic countries, a successful person is a sinner.

When the poet is in love, he is incapable of writing poetry on love. He has to write when he remembers that he was in love.

In all democracies there are unelected institutions, such as the Queen of England, and the American supreme court.  No one defines them as non-democratic.

Because of lies, we can produce and invent a possible world.