Bases Quote by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“It cannot be too strongly asserted that the insistence on blind, unreasoning faith is due mainly to the maintenance of a subject-matter upon which there was no knowledge, namely the 'other world'; and that this basis was assumed because of early man's preoccupation with death. It is, unfortunately, quite possible to believe a thing which is contradicted by facts, especially if the facts are not generally known; but if the whole position on which we rested our religions had been visibly opposed by what we did know, even the unthinking masses would, in time, have noticed it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Religion of Death, 1910
Blind faith persists because early humans faced mortality, leading to belief systems that ignore contradictory evidence.
In simple terms: People cling to faith when they fear death, even if facts disagree.
Key Takeaway
Question beliefs that conflict with evidence.
Themes
faith
death
knowledge
psychology
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- personal belief systems
- education reform
- public discourse
- scientific literacy
Key Concepts
existentialism
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance comfort and truth?
- What role does education play in reducing uncritical faith?
A Different Perspective
Faith can provide comfort, but may hinder truth‑seeking.
