Reason Quote by Ayn Rand
““But here you might have noticed something. I said, ‘It stands to reason’. Do you see ? Men have a weapon against you. Reason. So you must be very sure to take it away from them. Cut the props from under it. But be careful. Don’t deny outright. Never deny anything outright, you give your hand away. Don’t say reason is evil – though some have gone that far and with astonishing success. Just say that reason is limited. That there’s something above it. What ? You don’t have to be too clear about it either. The field’s inexhaustible. ‘Instinct’ – ‘Feeling’ – ‘Revelation’ – ‘Divine Intuition’ – ‘Dialectic Materialism’. If you get caught at some crucial point and somebody tells you that your doctrine doesn’t make sense – you’re ready for him. You tell him there’s something above sense. That here he must not try to think, he must feel. He must believe. Suspend reason and you play it deuces wild. Anything goes in any manner you wish whenever you need it. You’ve got him. Can you rule a thinking man ? We don’t want any thinking men.””
About This Quote
Reason is a tool, not an absolute authority; it can be limited, supplemented by instinct, feeling, or higher insight.
In simple terms: Reason has limits; other faculties matter.
Balance reason with non‑rational sources.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- debating policy
- propaganda analysis
- personal decision‑making
Key Concepts
Practical Applications
- question the authority of pure rationalism
- integrate intuition in strategic planning
Questions to Reflect On
- When does appealing to instinct become a rhetorical tactic?
- How can we safeguard reason without dismissing intuition?
Undermining reason can justify authoritarian control; not all non‑rational sources are trustworthy.