--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All silencing of discussion is an…" description: "\"All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.\" — John Stuart Mill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/john-stuart-mill-477_absolute-certainty_all-silencing-of-discussion-is-an-assump_1066882.png" --- # All silencing of discussion is an assumption of… ![“All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/john-stuart-mill-477_absolute-certainty_all-silencing-of-discussion-is-an-assump_1066882.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/john-stuart-mill-477_absolute-certainty_all-silencing-of-discussion-is-an-assump_1066882.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/john-stuart-mill-477_absolute-certainty_all-silencing-of-discussion-is-an-assump_1066882.png) > “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suppressing discussion assumes the speaker is infallible, which is unjustified. **In simple terms:** Silencing others wrongly assumes they are always right. Key Takeaway Encourage open dialogue to challenge assumed perfection. Themes free speech critical thinking democracy Mood analytical serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - classroom debates - political forums - online comment sections - team meetings Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to limit speech? - How do we balance free expression with harm prevention? A Different Perspective Silence can sometimes protect vulnerable groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-certainty/) [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Assumption Infallibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption-infallibility-2636841/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Discussion Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion-assumption-859229/) [Infallibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallibility/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silencing/) [Silencing Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silencing-discussion-859230/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure-that-it-is/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [It is not the feeling sure of a doctrine (be it what it may) which I call an assumption of infallibility. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/it-is-not-the-feeling-sure-of-a-doctrine-be-it-what-it-may-which-i/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Men and governments must act to the best of their ability. There is no such thing as absolute certainty but there is assurance sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/men-and-governments-must-act-to-the-best-of-their-ability-there-is-no/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/if-any-opinion-is-compelled-to-silence-that-opinion-may-for-aught-we/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The ultimate way of Being lies beyond all contradictory pairs of opposites with which our two dimensional thinking mind operates. As soon as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/the-ultimate-way-of-being-lies-beyond-all-contradictory-pairs-of/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [Real silencing occurs when a conservative tries to speak at a liberal university like Berkeley, and the party of anger and violence acts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine-pirro/real-silencing-occurs-when-a-conservative-tries-to-speak-at-a-liberal/) [Jeanine Pirro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanine-pirro/) > [Turns out, this 'whatabboutery' is a classic way of silencing women when you don't like what they're fighting for. 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The second, in silencing the mind when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/the-first-stage-of-this-tranquility-consists-in-silencing-the-lips/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [I describe what is happening as 'food fascism' because this system can only survive through totalitarian control. With patents on seed, an illegitimate legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/i-describe-what-is-happening-as-food-fascism-because-this-system-can/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [When it comes to silencing women, Western culture has had thousands of years of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/when-it-comes-to-silencing-women-western-culture-has-had-thousands-of/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [Communication starts with the understanding that there is my point of view (my truth) and someone else's point of view (his truth). Rarely is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/communication-starts-with-the-understanding-that-there-is-my-point-of/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [If you do not value libraries then you do not value information or culture or wisdom. You are silencing the voices of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-you-do-not-value-libraries-then-you-do-not-value-information-or/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by John Stuart Mill > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/liberty-lies-in-the-rights-of-that-person-whose-views-you-find-most/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/truth-emerges-from-the-clash-of-adverse-ideas/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All acts suppose certain dispositions, and habits of mind and heart, which may be in themselves states of enjoyment or of wretchedness, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-acts-suppose-certain-dispositions-and-habits-of-mind-and-heart/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Unfortunately for the good sense of mankind, the fact of their fallibility is far from carrying the weight in their practical judgement, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/unfortunately-for-the-good-sense-of-mankind-the-fact-of-their/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“In history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-history-as-in-traveling-men-usually-see-only-what-they-already-had/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All errors which a man is likely to commit against advice are far outweighed by the evil of allowing others to constrain him for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-errors-which-a-man-is-likely-to-commit-against-advice-are-far/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-great-movement-must-experience-three-stages-ridicule-discussion/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-successful-conduct-of-an-industrial-enterprise-requires-two-quite/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [This is what writers mean when they say that the notion of cause involves the idea of necessity. If there be any meaning which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/this-is-what-writers-mean-when-they-say-that-the-notion-of-cause/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Protection, therefore, against tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not-enough/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economizing. The increase in the value of land, arising as it does from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/landlords-grow-rich-in-their-sleep-without-working-risking-or/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. 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