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I wish to propose for the reader's favourable…

“I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.” quote by Bertrand Russell
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“I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.”

Bertrand Russell

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author warns against believing statements without any evidence, calling such belief undesirable and potentially harmful.

In simple terms: Don’t believe without evidence.

Key Takeaway

Seek evidence before believing.

Themes

critical thinking skepticism epistemology

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • daily news consumption
  • personal decisions
  • legal judgments

Key Concepts

rationalism truth seeking

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you verify the truth of a claim?
  • What are the risks of ungrounded belief?
A Different Perspective

Belief without evidence can lead to misinformation and poor choices.

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