Full Idea
Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth.
Gist of Idea
Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor lack of contradiction a sign of truth
Source
Blaise Pascal (works [1660]), quoted by A.George / D.J.Velleman - Philosophies of Mathematics Ch.6
Book Reference
George,A/Velleman D.J.: 'Philosophies of Mathematics' [Blackwell 2002], p.164
A Reaction
[Quoted in Auden and Kronenberger's Book of Aphorisms] Presumably we would now say that contradiction is a purely formal, syntactic notion, and not a semantic one. If you hit a contradiction, something has certainly gone wrong.