Full Idea
Our pleasure at finding that a chaos of facts is the expression of single underlying fact is like a musician's relief at discovering harmony. …The passion for economy of means in thought is the philosophic passion par excellence.
Gist of Idea
Our greatest pleasure is the economy of reducing chaotic facts to one single fact
Source
William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.21)
A Reaction
We do, though, possess an inner klaxon warning against stupid simplistic reductions. Reducing all the miseries of life to the workings of the Devil is not satisfactory, even it it is economical. Simplicities are dangerously tempting.
Book Reference
James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.21
Related Idea
Idea 22646 We have a passion for knowing the parts of something, rather than the whole [James]