Checks Quote by Joseph Addison
“Devotion, when it does not lie under the check of reason, is apt to degenerate into enthusiasm.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Spectator, 1711
Unreasonable devotion can become blind enthusiasm, losing rational control.
In simple terms: Blind enthusiasm follows irrational devotion.
Key Takeaway
Keep devotion rational.
Themes
philosophy
psychology
faith
Mood
analytical
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- Religious practice
- political movements
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
Reason
emotional regulation
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- When does devotion become harmful?
- How can we channel enthusiasm constructively?
A Different Perspective
Passion can be powerful when guided by reason.
![“When the fountains of government [borrowing] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the state was forced to check the extension of bureaucracy and to put a stop to public works, then and then only did the Italians realize what it…” quote by John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/908/john-t-flynn-18493_abundance_when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowi_2663.jpg)
