--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing more effectual in…" description: "\"There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness of any habitual fallacy or assumption than to hear it sympathetically through the ears, as i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg" --- # There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness… ![“There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness of any habitual fallacy or assumption than to hear it sympathetically through the ears, as it were, of a skeptic.” quote by Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg) > “There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness of any habitual fallacy or assumption than to hear it sympathetically through the ears, as it were, of a skeptic.” [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exposing a false belief works best when a skeptic presents it gently, revealing its weakness. **In simple terms:** Gentle skepticism shows flaws in assumptions. Key Takeaway Listen to skeptical perspectives to uncover hidden biases. Themes critical thinking skepticism self‑awareness Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - academic discussions - personal reflection - media analysis Key Concepts cognitive bias habitual fallacy persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How can you invite skepticism without feeling attacked? - What assumptions do you hold that need testing? A Different Perspective If the skeptic is hostile, the message may be dismissed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Ears Skeptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears-skeptic-691113/) [Fallacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallacy/) [Habitual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual/) [Habitual Fallacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual-fallacy-691115/) [Hear Sympathetically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-sympathetically-691112/) [Skeptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptic/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Sympathetically Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathetically-ears-691114/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [Somehow even a popular fallacy has an aspect of truth when it suits one's own case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/somehow-even-a-popular-fallacy-has-an-aspect-of-truth-when-it-suits/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [The nation was not founded by habitual groupthinkers. But it stands a fair chance of being destroyed by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/the-nation-was-not-founded-by-habitual-groupthinkers-but-it-stands-a/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Thus far we have considered the problem of conservation of land purely as an economic issue. A false front of exclusively economic determinism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/thus-far-we-have-considered-the-problem-of-conservation-of-land/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [Perhaps one of the main antidotes to depression, lack of self-esteem, loneliness and so forth is the recognition that we really do have Buddha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/perhaps-one-of-the-main-antidotes-to-depression-lack-of-self-esteem/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [It's not what we do once in a while that counts, but our habitual actions. What ultimately determines who we become and where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/it-s-not-what-we-do-once-in-a-while-that-counts-but-our-habitual/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Love itself is not an act of will, but sometimes I need the force of my volition to break with my habitual responses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/love-itself-is-not-an-act-of-will-but-sometimes-i-need-the-force-of/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [The sad part is that all we're trying to do is not feel that underlying uneasiness. The sadder part is that we proceed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-sad-part-is-that-all-we-re-trying-to-do-is-not-feel-that/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [We are what we think we are. The habitual inclination of our thoughts determines our talents and abilities, and our personality. So whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-are-what-we-think-we-are-the-habitual-inclination-of-our-thoughts/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I am sure that the sad days and happenings were rare, and that I lived the joyous and careless life of other children; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/i-am-sure-that-the-sad-days-and-happenings-were-rare-and-that-i-lived/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [ “But it is doubtless true, and evident from \[the\] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-from-the-scriptures-that-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [It's a matter of ABC: When we encounter ADVERSITY, we react by thinking about it. Our thoughts rapidly congeal into BELIEFS. These beliefs may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-s-a-matter-of-abc-when-we-encounter-adversity-we-react-by-thinking/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [O Heavenly Father, convert my religion from a name to a principle! Bring all my thoughts and movements into an habitual reference to Thee!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chalmers/o-heavenly-father-convert-my-religion-from-a-name-to-a-principle/) [Thomas Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chalmers/) > [The mind has powers that allow us to go beyond our normal or habitual way of being, and beyond what we think is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/the-mind-has-powers-that-allow-us-to-go-beyond-our-normal-or-habitual/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [People aren't religious because it's easy not to be. Like anything, it's habitual, and once it's a habit it's no longer hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/people-aren-t-religious-because-it-s-easy-not-to-be-like-anything-it/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Margaret Oliphant > [What happiness is there which is not purchased with more or less of pain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/what-happiness-is-there-which-is-not-purchased-with-more-or-less-of/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [I think reading a novel is almost next best to having something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/i-think-reading-a-novel-is-almost-next-best-to-having-something-to-do/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [All perfection is melancholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/all-perfection-is-melancholy/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [Married people do stand up so for each other when you say a word, however they may fight between themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/married-people-do-stand-up-so-for-each-other-when-you-say-a-word/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [“Don’t you think a certain amount of civilisation is necessary before picture-frames will become remunerative? I don’t think you could live by them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/don-t-you-think-a-certain-amount-of-civilisation-is-necessary-before/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [there are some people who never learn; indeed, few people learn by experience, so far as I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/there-are-some-people-who-never-learn-indeed-few-people-learn-by/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [As for pictures and museums, that don't trouble me. The worst of going abroad is that you've always got to look at things of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/as-for-pictures-and-museums-that-don-t-trouble-me-the-worst-of-going/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [“The village lay in the hollow, and climbed, with very prosaic houses, the other side. Village architecture does not flourish in Scotland. The blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/the-village-lay-in-the-hollow-and-climbed-with-very-prosaic-houses/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [Next to happiness, perhaps enmity is the most healthful stimulant of the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/next-to-happiness-perhaps-enmity-is-the-most-healthful-stimulant-of/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [“And there has been no attempt to investigate it,' I said, 'to see what it really is?' 'Eh, Cornel,' said the coachman's wife, 'wha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/and-there-has-been-no-attempt-to-investigate-it-i-said-to-see-what-it/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [To have a man who can flirt is next thing to indispensable to a leader of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/to-have-a-man-who-can-flirt-is-next-thing-to-indispensable-to-a/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [For everybody knows that it requires very little to satisfy the gentlemen, if a woman will only give her mind to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/for-everybody-knows-that-it-requires-very-little-to-satisfy-the/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [The ideal is the flower-garden of the mind, and very apt to run to weeds unless carefully tended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/the-ideal-is-the-flower-garden-of-the-mind-and-very-apt-to-run-to/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [Laughing is not the first expression of joy. ... A person laughs in idleness, for fun, not for joy. Joy has nothing, nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/laughing-is-not-the-first-expression-of-joy-a-person-laughs-in/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) > [“It was getting dark by the time I went out, and nobody who knows the country will need to be told how black is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/it-was-getting-dark-by-the-time-i-went-out-and-nobody-who-knows-the/) [Margaret Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) [Explore all 51 Margaret Oliphant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/) ## More Assumption quotes > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) [Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [If they are, then the only ultimate truths are the particulars of concrete experience, and no postulate or general assumption is inherent in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/if-they-are-then-the-only-ultimate-truths-are-the-particulars-of/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) [Philip Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-selznick/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [When I see a fan coming over, I can't help but make an assumption about what they want to talk about. A middle-aged American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/when-i-see-a-fan-coming-over-i-can-t-help-but-make-an-assumption/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Pussy Riot have certainly changed some people's assumptions about the role of political art and the relationship between the intelligentsia and the church. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/pussy-riot-have-certainly-changed-some-people-s-assumptions-about-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) [Browse all 1,277 Assumption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness of any habitual fallacy or assumption than to hear it sympathetically through the ears, as it were, of a skeptic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Oliphant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showing-us-the-weakness-of-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assumption" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showing-us-the-weakness-of-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/margaret-oliphant-13259_assumption_there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showi_1654608.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is nothing more effectual in showing us the weakness of any habitual fallacy or assumption than to…” — Margaret Oliphant", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Oliphant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-oliphant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is nothing more effectual in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showing-us-the-weakness-of-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-oliphant/there-is-nothing-more-effectual-in-showing-us-the-weakness-of-any/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```