The real searcher after truth will not receive the old…
“The real searcher after truth will not receive the old because it is old, or reject the new because it is new. He will not believe men because they are dead, or contradict them because they are alive. With him an utterance is worth the truth, the reason it contains, without the slightest regard to the author. He may have been a king or serf - a philosopher or servant, - but the utterance neither gains nor loses in truth or reason. Its value is absolutely independent of the fame or station of the man who gave it to the world.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Truth should be judged on its own merit, not on the speaker’s status or age.
In simple terms: Truth is independent of who says it.
Evaluate ideas based on evidence, not authority.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- media consumption
- policy making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What strategies reduce reliance on authority?
- How can we teach independent evaluation?
People often defer to authority despite evidence.