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Absence Quotes

On what's missing, proven, or left unsaid.

These absence quotes range from a paradox about happiness needing no active pursuit to a logical reminder that a lack of evidence isn't evidence of nonexistence, a point often raised in debates over Belief.

Lies are an absence of facts and, in many cases, a direct contradiction of them.

Quotes by Daniel Levitin

The surest test of discipline is its absence.

Quotes by Clara Barton

It is quite normal these days to record a song in the absence of the composer.

Quotes by Chinmayi

Judicious absence is a weapon.

Quotes by Charles Reade

If Bill Finger created Batman, where is Bill Finger's byline on my strip? It is conspicuous by its absence.

Quotes by Bob Kane

Freedom in general may be defined as the absence of obstacles to the realization of desires.

Quotes by Bertrand Russell

True net-heads sometimes resort to punctuation cartoons to get around the absence of inflection.

Quotes by Barton Gellman

Belief in the absence of illusions is itself an illusion.

Quotes by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Absence blots people out. We really have no absent friends.

Quotes by Ambrose Bierce

The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.

Quotes by Alfred Lord Tennyson

In the absence of willpower the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless.

Quotes by Aleister Crowley

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Quotes by Alan Stern

Strength doesn't mean an absence of pain.

Quotes by Aja Naomi King

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these quotes mean by "absence"?
These quotes use 'absence' in several ways—the lack of striving behind true happiness, the lack of proof as different from disproof, and even a historical description of what legally defined a southern versus a northern state before the Civil War.
Is the historical quote glorifying anything?
No, it simply describes a legal fact about the pre-Civil War era—that the presence or absence of slavery under state law, rather than geography, was what separated the two regions at the time.
Is there a quote about rest and idle time?
Yes, one quote argues that having nothing to occupy your mind isn't the same as true rest, since an empty mind can end up troubled rather than calm.
What's the quote about "absence of proof"?
It's a reminder that not finding evidence for something doesn't automatically mean that thing doesn't exist—a point often made in scientific and philosophical discussions.
Where can I find related quotes about belief or ability?
If this theme interests you, the Belief quotes page and the Ability quotes page explore adjacent ideas.

One historical line notes how the legal presence or absence of slavery once distinguished a northern state from a southern one, a fact worth remembering rather than glorifying. Read more in our Ability and Been quotes.