--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Children] are taught that it is a virtue…" description: "\"[Children] are taught that it is a virtue to accept statements without adequate evidence, which leaves them a prey to quacks of every kind in later lif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_accepting_children-are-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue_2704903.jpg" --- # \[Children\] are taught that it is a virtue to accept… ![“[Children] are taught that it is a virtue to accept statements without adequate evidence, which leaves them a prey to quacks of every kind in later life, and makes it very difficult for them to accept the methods of thought which are successful in science.” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_accepting_children-are-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue_2704903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_accepting_children-are-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue_2704903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_accepting_children-are-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue_2704903.jpg) > “\[Children\] are taught that it is a virtue to accept statements without adequate evidence, which leaves them a prey to quacks of every kind in later life, and makes it very difficult for them to accept the methods of thought which are successful in science.” [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teaching children to accept claims without proof makes them vulnerable to pseudoscience and hinders scientific reasoning. **In simple terms:** Blind acceptance harms critical thinking. Key Takeaway Encourage evidence‑based skepticism. Themes education critical thinking science literacy Mood thoughtful concerned Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - school curricula - parental guidance - media consumption - public policy Key Concepts epistemology cognitive bias skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance healthy skepticism with curiosity? - What strategies foster evidence‑based belief? A Different Perspective May discourage open‑mindedness if applied rigidly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Adequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adequate/) [Adequate Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adequate-evidence-2761812/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-taught/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evidence Leaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence-leaves-2761811/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Prey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prey/) [Quacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quacks/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Statements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statements/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-virtue-2761809/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-accept-2761810/) ## Related quotes > [Faith must have adequate evidence, else it is mere superstition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-must-have-adequate-evidence-else-it-is-mere-superstition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is simply no plausible construction of the known evidence that leaves out Novak either providing a proffer through his lawyer of what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-isikoff/there-is-simply-no-plausible-construction-of-the-known-evidence-that/) [Michael Isikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-isikoff/) > [People continued regardless of all that leads man forward to try to unite the incompatibles:;: the virtue of love, and what is opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/people-continued-regardless-of-all-that-leads-man-forward-to-try-to/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Sometimes you brush against a truth, feeling it before you can say it, and instead of theories or conclusions, tears are the evidence it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-ortiz/sometimes-you-brush-against-a-truth-feeling-it-before-you-can-say-it/) [Dianna Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-ortiz/) > [“I'm not ambitious for a splendid fortune, a fashionable position, or a great name for my girls. If rank and money come with love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-m-not-ambitious-for-a-splendid-fortune-a-fashionable-position-or-a/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Plato rightly taught that virtue is one. You cannot be kind unless you have all the other virtues. If, being cowardly, conceited, and slothful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/plato-rightly-taught-that-virtue-is-one-you-cannot-be-kind-unless-you/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Men have been taught that it is a virtue to stand together. But the creator is the man who stands alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/men-have-been-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue-to-stand-together-but-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Men have been taught that it is a virtue to agree with others. But the creator is the man who disagrees. Men have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/men-have-been-taught-that-it-is-a-virtue-to-agree-with-others-but-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Our children should not be so taught as to despise labour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/our-children-should-not-be-so-taught-as-to-despise-labour/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Children have taught me to always be forgiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/children-have-taught-me-to-always-be-forgiving/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“Children should be taught about history not as is usually the case now, that this is the record of long past events, which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/children-should-be-taught-about-history-not-as-is-usually-the-case/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [A big part of the problem that we face today is that our children have been taught at schools that every idea is right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-royce/a-big-part-of-the-problem-that-we-face-today-is-that-our-children/) [Ed Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-royce/) > [Krishna children were taught that in the spiritual world there were no parents, only souls and hence this justified their being kept out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-garden/krishna-children-were-taught-that-in-the-spiritual-world-there-were/) [Mary Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-garden/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [It is so important that British children are taught about the World Wars that their great grandparents fought in and lived through. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-lynn/it-is-so-important-that-british-children-are-taught-about-the-world/) [Vera Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-lynn/) ## More by John B. S. Haldane > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A discussion between Haldane and a friend began to take a predictable turn. The friend said with a sigh, 'It's no use going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-discussion-between-haldane-and-a-friend-began-to-take-a-predictable/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The extreme socialists desire to run every nation as a single business concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-extreme-socialists-desire-to-run-every-nation-as-a-single/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [To the biologist the problem of socialism appears largely as a problem of size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/to-the-biologist-the-problem-of-socialism-appears-largely-as-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A fairly bright boy is far more intelligent and far better company than the average adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-fairly-bright-boy-is-far-more-intelligent-and-far-better-company/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/capitalism-though-it-may-not-always-give-the-scientific-worker-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-are-400-000-species-of-beetles-on-this-planet-but-only-8-000/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-is-no-great-invention-from-fire-to-flying-which-has-not-been/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Man armed with science is like a baby with a box of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/man-armed-with-science-is-like-a-baby-with-a-box-of-matches/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There can be no truce between science and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-can-be-no-truce-between-science-and-religion/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Science is vastly more stimulating to the imagination than the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/science-is-vastly-more-stimulating-to-the-imagination-than-the/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The future will be no primrose path. It will have its own problems. Some will be the secular problems of the past, giant flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-future-will-be-no-primrose-path-it-will-have-its-own-problems/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. "What inference," asked the latter, "might one draw about the nature of God from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/haldane-was-engaged-in-discussion-with-an-eminent-theologian-what/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon-the-late-war-is-only-an/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) [Explore all 65 John B. S. Haldane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[Children] are taught that it is a virtue to accept statements without adequate evidence, which leaves them a prey to quacks of every kind in later life, and makes it very difficult for them to accept the methods of thought which are successful in science.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John B. S. 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