Civil liberties Quote by John Stuart Mill
““There is the greatest difference between assuming an opinion to be true, because, with every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted, and assuming its truth for the purpose of not permitting its refutation. Complete liberty of contradicting and disproving our opinion, is the very condition which justifies us in assuming its truth for purposes of action; and on no other terms can a being with human faculties have any rational assurance of being right.””
About This Quote
Source Book: On Liberty, John Stuart Mill, 1859
Truth should be held provisionally, open to challenge, because only through contradiction can we justify action.
In simple terms: Hold beliefs tentatively, test them.
Key Takeaway
Question, test, and revise beliefs.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
critical thinking
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- scientific research
- policy making
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
empiricism
rationalism
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle evidence that contradicts your core beliefs?
- What mechanisms protect you from dogmatism?
A Different Perspective
Human cognition often resists change, making openness difficult.
![“[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)
