Aristotle Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
““The only safe rule, therefore, is that which Aristotle mentions in the last chapter of his Topica: not to dispute with the first person you meet, but only with those of your acquaintance of whom you know that they possess sufficient intelligence and self-respect not to advance absurdities; to appeal to reason and not to authority, and to listen to reason and yield to it; and, finally, to cherish truth, to be willing to accept reason even from an opponent, and to be just enough to bear being proved to be in the wrong, should truth lie with him. From this it follows that scarcely one man in a hundred is worth your disputing with him. You may let the remainder say what they please, for every one is at liberty to be a fool—desipere est jus gentium.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The World as Will and Representation, Arthur Schopenhauer, 1818
Dispute only with intelligent, respectable people, value reason over authority, accept truth even from opponents, and be willing to admit error; most people are not worth arguing with.
In simple terms: Argue only with wise, respectful people and accept truth even from opponents
Key Takeaway
Seek reasoned dialogue, avoid futile arguments
Themes
reason
truth
humility
intellectual honesty
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
calm
Type
philosophical
advice
reflective
When to use this quote
- debates
- academic discussions
- political discourse
- online forums
- personal disagreements
Key Concepts
Socratic method
epistemic humility
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you identify a worthy interlocutor?
- When should you refrain from arguing?
A Different Perspective
Not all disagreements are productive; some may be necessary for growth
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
![“[Materialism] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism, to chemism, to polarity, to the vegetable and to the animal kingdom. And if we suppose this to have been done, the last link in the chain would be…” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/88c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_animal-kingdom_materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-s_50402.jpg)
