---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every principle is a judgment, every…"
description: "\"Every principle is a judgment, every judgment the outcome of experience, and experience is only acquired by the exercise of the senses; whence it follo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/marquis-de-sade-1964_bases_every-principle-is-a-judgment-every-judg_3213955.jpg"
---

#  Every principle is a judgment, every judgment the outcome…

![“Every principle is a judgment, every judgment the outcome of experience, and experience is only acquired by the exercise of the senses; whence it follows that religious principles bear upon nothing whatever and are not in the slightest innate. Ignorance and fear, you will repeat to them, ignorance…” quote by Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/marquis-de-sade-1964_bases_every-principle-is-a-judgment-every-judg_3213955.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/marquis-de-sade-1964_bases_every-principle-is-a-judgment-every-judg_3213955.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/marquis-de-sade-1964_bases_every-principle-is-a-judgment-every-judg_3213955.jpg)

> “Every principle is a judgment, every judgment the outcome of experience, and experience is only acquired by the exercise of the senses; whence it follows that religious principles bear upon nothing whatever and are not in the slightest innate. Ignorance and fear, you will repeat to them, ignorance and fear - those are the twin bases of every religion.”

[Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human judgments stem from sensory experience; thus religious principles lack innate basis and are rooted in ignorance and fear.

**In simple terms:** Judgments come from senses, not innate ideas.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how fear and ignorance shape beliefs.

Themes

religion human nature epistemology psychology fear

Mood

critical analytical skeptical

Type

philosophical provocative reflective

When to use this quote

- personal belief formation
- education reform
- interfaith dialogue
- mental health counseling

Key Concepts

sensory experience cognitive bias social conditioning

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies reduce fear‑based belief systems?

A Different Perspective

Does this view overlook the comfort and community religion provides?

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