--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A sane man often reasons from sound…" description: "\"A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane man commonly reasons as well, but the premises are unsound.\" — Austin O'Malley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg" --- # A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane… ![“A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane man commonly reasons as well, but the premises are unsound.” quote by Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg) > “A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane man commonly reasons as well, but the premises are unsound.” [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reasoning depends on the truth of its starting points; unsound premises lead to irrational conclusions. **In simple terms:** Bad premises produce bad reasoning. Key Takeaway Check the foundations of your arguments. Themes logic reasoning truth psychology Mood analytical critical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - debates - decision making - education - personal reflection Key Concepts epistemology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What premises am I assuming? - How can I verify them? A Different Perspective If premises are hidden, reasoning may seem sound. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [How good music and bad reasons sound when one marches against an enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/how-good-music-and-bad-reasons-sound-when-one-marches-against-an-enemy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There is a mighty big difference between good sound reasons and reasons that sound good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/there-is-a-mighty-big-difference-between-good-sound-reasons-and/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“You aren't insane, then." "Heavens no," I said. I eyed her. "You don't accept that." You see people that aren't there Mr. Leeds. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-aren-t-insane-then-heavens-no-i-said-i-eyed-her-you-don-t-accept/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Do not confuse reasons which sound good with good, sound reasons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-confuse-reasons-which-sound-good-with-good-sound-reasons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tell me. Why would you consider me insane, but the man who can't hold a job, who cheats on his wife, who can't keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/tell-me-why-would-you-consider-me-insane-but-the-man-who-can-t-hold-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“With the exception of a gun, starvation is the only thing that is capable of making an insane man lose his mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/with-the-exception-of-a-gun-starvation-is-the-only-thing-that-is/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [A female voice can automatically trigger a reaction. The reasons why? Sound is the initial thing, and I've had people tell me that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/a-female-voice-can-automatically-trigger-a-reaction-the-reasons-why/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [When you look directly at an insane man all you see is a reflection of your own knowledge that he's insane, which is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/when-you-look-directly-at-an-insane-man-all-you-see-is-a-reflection/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [You can hate a man for many reasons. Color is not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/you-can-hate-a-man-for-many-reasons-color-is-not-one-of-them/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [There do exist enquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/there-do-exist-enquiring-minds-which-long-for-the-truth-of-the-heart/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Man never reasons so much and becomes so introspective as when he suffers; since he is anxious to get at the cause of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/man-never-reasons-so-much-and-becomes-so-introspective-as-when-he/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [The human brain is a complex organ with the wonderful power of enabling man to find reasons for continuing to believe whatever it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-human-brain-is-a-complex-organ-with-the-wonderful-power-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“A man has two reasons for doing something; a good reason and the real reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-morgan-2/a-man-has-two-reasons-for-doing-something-a-good-reason-and-the-real/) J.P. Morgan > [A good mustache makes a man for many reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/a-good-mustache-makes-a-man-for-many-reasons/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason. Let us be like the man of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-morgan/a-man-always-has-two-reasons-for-doing-anything-a-good-reason-and-the/) [J. P. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-morgan/) ## More by Austin O'Malley > [Sermons are like pie-crust, the shorter the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/sermons-are-like-pie-crust-the-shorter-the-better/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [You can swim in life and seawater, but both are hard to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-swim-in-life-and-seawater-but-both-are-hard-to-swallow/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Law is the rudder of the ship of state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/law-is-the-rudder-of-the-ship-of-state/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [A woman, like a cross-eyed man, looks one way, but goes another--hence her mysteriousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-woman-like-a-cross-eyed-man-looks-one-way-but-goes-another-hence/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Religion often gets credit for curing rascals when old age is the real medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/religion-often-gets-credit-for-curing-rascals-when-old-age-is-the/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Charity is the note that resolves the discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/charity-is-the-note-that-resolves-the-discord/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [We must be laid like a brand in the fire ... if we would gain immortal youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/we-must-be-laid-like-a-brand-in-the-fire-if-we-would-gain-immortal/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [If you snub Conscience a few times she will cut your acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/if-you-snub-conscience-a-few-times-she-will-cut-your-acquaintance/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [A hole is nothing at all, but you can break your neck in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-hole-is-nothing-at-all-but-you-can-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [A drunkard is like a whiskey-bottle, all neck and belly and no head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-drunkard-is-like-a-whiskey-bottle-all-neck-and-belly-and-no-head/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Power should answer by action, not by speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/power-should-answer-by-action-not-by-speech/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Charity is the only lubricant that keeps the axle of the world creaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/charity-is-the-only-lubricant-that-keeps-the-axle-of-the-world/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Reason clears and plants the wilderness of the imagination to harvest the wheat of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/reason-clears-and-plants-the-wilderness-of-the-imagination-to-harvest/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Some men are like a church-organ -- you can play on them for a lifetime and always find new harmonies; others are like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/some-men-are-like-a-church-organ-you-can-play-on-them-for-a-lifetime/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Laws are made by the old, exceptions by the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/laws-are-made-by-the-old-exceptions-by-the-young/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) [Explore all 207 Austin O'Malley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) ## More Insane quotes > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Grew up in a small town where there was only one crazy guy. He didn't even go insane doing anything good, like going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/grew-up-in-a-small-town-where-there-was-only-one-crazy-guy-he-didn-t/) [Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I don’t like keeping her in the dark,” Jace said. “We’ll tell her in a week. What difference does a week make?” Jace gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-like-keeping-her-in-the-dark-jace-said-we-ll-tell-her-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm just insane. So what usually drives me is pure joy for something stupid. I'm also very visual. I'll have an idea in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-roiland/i-m-just-insane-so-what-usually-drives-me-is-pure-joy-for-something/) [Justin Roiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-roiland/) > [ Of course I think it's a movie for everybody \[Insane Farting Corpse\], but that's probably just because it's a movie for me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/of-course-i-think-it-s-a-movie-for-everybody-insane-farting-corpse/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [They used to be seen as insane or unthinkable acts of madmen. But if they take place they'll be called 'war' too. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/they-used-to-be-seen-as-insane-or-unthinkable-acts-of-madmen-but-if/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Your daddy is a wine, and your mommy's quite insane. From altar boy to sewer rat, you don't give a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megadeth/your-daddy-is-a-wine-and-your-mommy-s-quite-insane-from-altar-boy-to/) [Megadeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megadeth/) > [“Die in your dreams, wake up insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/die-in-your-dreams-wake-up-insane/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) Browse all 2,046 Insane quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane man commonly reasons as well, but the premises are unsound.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Austin O'Malley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-premises-an-insane-man-commonly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Insane" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-premises-an-insane-man-commonly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/austin-o-malley-1805_insane_a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-prem_275390.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A sane man often reasons from sound premises; an insane man commonly reasons as well, but the premises are…” — Austin O'Malley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Austin O'Malley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A sane man often reasons from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-premises-an-insane-man-commonly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-sane-man-often-reasons-from-sound-premises-an-insane-man-commonly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```