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Raen Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

"willing suspension of disbelief"

Did Hilary Clinton coin this phrase? Or did she borrow it from some famous person? What does it exactly mean? Is this an eloquent/fancy way of saying "I don't believe a word of it"?

Thanks in advance

Raen
  

Top answer

I don't know what context she used it in, but she certainly did not coin that phrase. Every time you read a novel, especially a science fiction or fanstasy novel, you willingly (you choose to) suspend (put aside) your disbelief. No, robots don't rule the world, we can't time travel, we don't have flying cars, and your dog doesn't talk to you.

— BarbaraPA

  • I don't know what context she used it in, but she certainly did not coin that phrase.
  • Every time you read a novel, especially a science fiction or fanstasy novel, you willingly (you choose to) suspend (put aside) your disbelief.
  • No, robots don't rule the world, we can't time travel, we don't have flying cars, and your dog doesn't talk to you.
  • If you read a story in the newspaper about these things, you would not believe it.
  • But if you read a novel in which one or more of these things happen, you accept this.
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8 Answers
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I don't know what context she used it in, but she certainly did not coin that phrase.

Every time you read a novel, especially a science fiction or fanstasy novel, you willingly (you choose to) suspend (put aside) your disbelief.

No, robots don't rule the world, we can't time travel, we don't have flying cars, and your dog doesn't talk to you. If you read a story in the newspape
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RaenDid Hilary Clinton coin this phrase?
No.
RaenWhat does it exactly mean?
It means that she was calling General Petraeus a liar.

See this Wikipedia article for the details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_d
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The first use I found was by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English lyrical Poet, Critic and Philosopher. 1772-1834)

“It is that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith.”

The second use was by Lionel Trilling (American Critic, Author and Teacher. 1905-1975)

“It is now life and not art that requires the willing suspension of disbelief”

Hillary Clinton
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RaenWhat does it exactly mean? Is this an eloquent/fancy way of saying "I don't believe a word of it"?
"willing suspension of disbelief" is required for the enjoyment of fictional writing, so it applies to what is artfully fictitious. So when Mrs. Clinton used that expression, she was saying that what she read was fictitious, invented, made up, and not par
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No, she certainly did not coin the phrase. Although she may have had to practise it when listening to some of her husband's stories. It is sometimes attributed to the poet/philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It is that essential ability which enables us to accept what we see or read without being so critical of the detail that we are unable to enjoy the process. We accept that Macbeth'
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Thank to everyone that replied and gave such extensive and complete explanation, this is one of those moment where words just can't express my utter gratitude, I'm serious. Thanks so so very much, I love the examples used to hlep illustrate the phrase and the original source of it. Thank you!

And seriously I almost fell off my chair at this one,

"No, she certainly did not coi
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"it is now life and not art that requires the willing suspension of disbelief" - Lionel Trilling
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poet and critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge coined it
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