--- title: "4 Assumptions Quotes By Noam Chomsky" description: "4 Assumptions quotes by Noam Chomsky. Plus more from Noam Chomsky and more Assumptions sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/noam-chomsky-42_about_it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-th_181065.jpg" --- > [It is true that classical libertarian thought is opposed to state intervention in social life, as a consequence of deeper assumptions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-thought-is-opposed-to-state/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/noam-chomsky-42_about_it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-th_181065.jpg) > [Rational discussion is useful only when there is a significant base of shared assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when-there-is-a-significant-base/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/noam-chomsky-42_assumptions_rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when_1355000.jpg) > [Reviewing the record of American intervention in Indochina in the Pentagon Papers, one cannot fail to be struck by the continuity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/reviewing-the-record-of-american-intervention-in-indochina-in-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/noam-chomsky-42_administration_reviewing-the-record-of-american-interve_1853837.jpg) > [I try to encourage people to think for themselves, to question standard assumptions... Don't take assumptions for granted. Begin by taking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-themselves-to-question/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/noam-chomsky-42_ask-questions_i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-t_2724418.jpg) ## Other authors on Assumptions - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b003/author-alan-alda-10246.jpg) Alan Alda 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/alan-alda/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b016/author-eric-hirzel-60033.jpg) Eric Hirzel 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/eric-hirzel/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-abhijit-naskar-99.jpg) Abhijit Naskar 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/noam-chomsky/#itemlist", "name": "4 Assumptions Quotes By Noam Chomsky", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is true that classical libertarian thought is opposed to state intervention in social life, as a consequence of deeper assumptions about the human need for liberty, diversity, and free association.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-thought-is-opposed-to-state/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/noam-chomsky-42_about_it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-th_181065.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/noam-chomsky-42_about_it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-th_181065.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/noam-chomsky-42_about_it-is-true-that-classical-libertarian-th_181065.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is true that classical libertarian thought is opposed to state intervention in social life, as a…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rational discussion is useful only when there is a significant base of shared assumptions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when-there-is-a-significant-base/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/noam-chomsky-42_assumptions_rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when_1355000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/noam-chomsky-42_assumptions_rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when_1355000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/noam-chomsky-42_assumptions_rational-discussion-is-useful-only-when_1355000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rational discussion is useful only when there is a significant base of shared assumptions.” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reviewing the record of American intervention in Indochina in the Pentagon Papers, one cannot fail to be struck by the continuity of basic assumptions from one administration to the next. 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