Claims Quote by Morris West
“No man - prince, peasant, pope - has all the light, who says else is a mountebank. I claim no private lien on truth, only a liberty to seek it, prove it in debate, and to be wrong a thousand times to reach a single rightness. It is that liberty they fear. They want us to be driven to God like sheep, not running to him like lovers, shouting joy!”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Shoes of the Fisherman, 1963
Truth is pursued through open debate and repeated error, valuing liberty to seek and be wrong over dogmatic certainty.
In simple terms: Seek truth by debating and accepting mistakes.
Key Takeaway
Embrace debate, accept being wrong.
Themes
truth
debate
liberty
humility
Mood
intellectual
challenging
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- political dialogue
- personal belief systems
Key Concepts
philosophy
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle being wrong?
- What limits your search for truth?
A Different Perspective
Constant debate can erode confidence in convictions.
