Trust a witness in all matters in which neither his…
““Trust a witness in all matters in which neither his self-interest, his passions, his prejudices, nor the love of the marvellous is strongly concerned. When they are involved, require corroborative evidence in exact proportion to the contravention of probability by the thing testified.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Witnesses biased by self‑interest or emotion must be corroborated proportionally to the improbability of their claim.
In simple terms: Bias needs evidence.
Key Takeaway
Demand proportional evidence for biased claims.
Themes
justice
bias
evidence
probability
Mood
analytical
cautious
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- courtroom
- academic research
- media analysis
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
Critical thinking
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- When is it reasonable to trust a biased source?
- How much evidence is enough?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on evidence can stall action.