Assuming Quote by John Stuart Mill
“if any opinion is compelled to silence, that opinion may, for aught we can certainly know, be true. To deny this is to assume our own infallibility.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Liberty, 1859
Argues that silencing any opinion risks suppressing truth, as we cannot know which views are correct.
In simple terms: Silencing opinions may hide truth.
Key Takeaway
Protect free expression.
Themes
freedom
truth
silence
humility
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- public debate
- media regulation
- academic discourse
- policy making
Key Concepts
philosophy
political theory
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards balance free speech and harm?
- How can we test the truth of suppressed ideas?
A Different Perspective
Free speech can also spread harmful misinformation.
![“[For people] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c53/john-stuart-mill-477_doubt_for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opi_63929.jpg)
