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"What if a society is mistaken, and takes pains to avoid rectifying its errors, what if it refuses, in the light of evidence, to correct its mistakes?" "Evidence can usually be explained away or reinterpreted to accord with treasured beliefs," I said. - (Savages of Gor, Chapter 17, Sentence #592)

"Someone is insane," she said, "who believes false things". "But we all, doubtless, believe many false things," I said. "Theoretically a society could believe numerous false propositions and still, in normal senses of the word, be regarded as a sane, if, in many respects, a mistaken society". "What if a society is mistaken, and takes pains to avoid rectifying its errors, what if it refuses, in the light of evidence, to correct its mistakes?" "Evidence can usually be explained away or reinterpreted to accord with treasured beliefs," I said. "I think it is usually a matter of degree. Perhaps when the belief simply becomes too archaic, obsolete and unwieldy to defend, when it becomes simply preposterous and blatantly irrational to seriously continue to defend it, then, perhaps, if one still continues, compulsively, to defend it, one might speak of insanity". "I should think so," she said. - (Savages of Gor)