--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with…" description: "\"Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/norman-lamm-25646_ancient_conventional-dogmas-even-if-endowed-with_2258758.jpg" --- # Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of… ![“Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we need not bother with them. But if they are found to be substantially correct, we may not overlook them.” quote by Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/norman-lamm-25646_ancient_conventional-dogmas-even-if-endowed-with_2258758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/norman-lamm-25646_ancient_conventional-dogmas-even-if-endowed-with_2258758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/norman-lamm-25646_ancient_conventional-dogmas-even-if-endowed-with_2258758.jpg) > “Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we need not bother with them. But if they are found to be substantially correct, we may not overlook them.” [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas, even revered ones, must be rigorously examined; they are kept only if they prove true. **In simple terms:** Test all ideas, even old ones. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before acceptance. Themes tradition critical thinking authority Mood thoughtful inquisitive analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal belief systems Key Concepts philosophy epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What belief have you accepted without testing? - When is tradition worth preserving? A Different Perspective Some traditions hold cultural value beyond logical proof. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma/) [Dogmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmas/) ## Related quotes > [Words are wise men's counters, they do but reckon by them: but they are the money of fools, that value them by the authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/words-are-wise-men-s-counters-they-do-but-reckon-by-them-but-they-are/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If by religion we are to understand sectarian dogmas, in which no two of them agree, then your exclamation on that hypothesis is just,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/if-by-religion-we-are-to-understand-sectarian-dogmas-in-which-no-two/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We do not consider our principles as dogmas contained in books that are said to come from heaven. We derive our inspiration, not from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/we-do-not-consider-our-principles-as-dogmas-contained-in-books-that/) [Mustafa Kemal Ataturk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/) > [For how shall we fill people with blind faith in the correctness of a doctrine, if we ourselves spread uncertainty and doubt by constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/for-how-shall-we-fill-people-with-blind-faith-in-the-correctness-of-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Dogmas of every kind put assertion in the place of reason and give rise to more contention, bitterness, and want of charity than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/dogmas-of-every-kind-put-assertion-in-the-place-of-reason-and-give/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“On the dogmas of religion, as distinguished from moral principles, all mankind, from the beginning of the world to this day, have been quarreling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/on-the-dogmas-of-religion-as-distinguished-from-moral-principles-all-2/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“Our religion, with its beliefs, rituals, and dogmas becomes another segment among all the other segments that constitute our linear and fragmented existence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-batchelor/our-religion-with-its-beliefs-rituals-and-dogmas-becomes-another/) [Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-batchelor/) > [RELIGION: A set of beliefs held as dogmas, dominating the conduct of life, going beyond or contrary to evidence, and inculcated by methods which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/religion-a-set-of-beliefs-held-as-dogmas-dominating-the-conduct-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [... Tarrasch's 'dogmas' are not eternal truisms, but merely instructional material presented in an accessible and witty form, those necessary rudiments from which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/tarrasch-s-dogmas-are-not-eternal-truisms-but-merely-instructional/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Truths turn into dogmas the instant that they are disputed. Thus every man who utters a doubt defines a religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/truths-turn-into-dogmas-the-instant-that-they-are-disputed-thus-every/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [To elevate abstract doctrines and dogmas over living, breathing, embodied experiences of God's love and grace, then, is going the wrong direction. It's taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/to-elevate-abstract-doctrines-and-dogmas-over-living-breathing/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [On the dogmas of religion, as distinguished from moral principles, all mankind, from the beginning of the world to this day, have been quarrelling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/on-the-dogmas-of-religion-as-distinguished-from-moral-principles-all/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The man who has successfully solved the problem of his relations with the two worlds of data and symbols is a man who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-man-who-has-successfully-solved-the-problem-of-his-relations-with/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I still think that, in a way, I can't get past half my childhood dogmas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-still-think-that-in-a-way-i-can-t-get-past-half-my-childhood-dogmas/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## More by Norman Lamm > [To appeal to contemporary man to revert, in this twentieth century, to a pagan-like nature worship in order to restrain technology from further encroachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/to-appeal-to-contemporary-man-to-revert-in-this-twentieth-century-to/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Not all Modern Orthodox Jews, at the present juncture, identify with what the Israeli government does. In Israel many religious Zionists strongly oppose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/not-all-modern-orthodox-jews-at-the-present-juncture-identify-with/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Mutual commitment to ideals - yes; the stifling of all dissenting notions - no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/mutual-commitment-to-ideals-yes-the-stifling-of-all-dissenting/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [My mother, whose family was heavily rabbinic, said she wanted me to continue the family tradition in the rabbinate. My father said he wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/my-mother-whose-family-was-heavily-rabbinic-said-she-wanted-me-to/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Group action - yes; group thinking - no](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/group-action-yes-group-thinking-no/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Modern Orthodoxy has a highly positive attitude toward the State of Israel. Our Ultra-Orthodox brethren recognize only the Holy Land, but not the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/modern-orthodoxy-has-a-highly-positive-attitude-toward-the-state-of/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Maimonides taught that it is better that 10 criminals go free than let one innocent man be executed. The Innocence Project represents that point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/maimonides-taught-that-it-is-better-that-10-criminals-go-free-than/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [However, the word madda in modern Hebrew specifically means science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/however-the-word-madda-in-modern-hebrew-specifically-means-science/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [This principle of unity of the whole along with respect for individual differences is symbolized in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/this-principle-of-unity-of-the-whole-along-with-respect-for/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [At Cardozo, study of law is part of a larger culture. You can get a law degree and make a good living, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/at-cardozo-study-of-law-is-part-of-a-larger-culture-you-can-get-a-law/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [I think our vision heretofore has been and should continue to be to have Cardozo be the kind of law school that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/i-think-our-vision-heretofore-has-been-and-should-continue-to-be-to/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [In Judaism, there are 613 biblical commandments, and the Talmud says that the chief commandment of all is study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/in-judaism-there-are-613-biblical-commandments-and-the-talmud-says/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [I was not the midwife of the Law School, but its fraternal twin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/i-was-not-the-midwife-of-the-law-school-but-its-fraternal-twin/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Most students have thoughts about emigrating to Israel. A significant number go on aliyah. We are proud of our Israel programs, which come at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/most-students-have-thoughts-about-emigrating-to-israel-a-significant/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) > [Judaism is an intellectually based religion, and the single most important theme is that of study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lamm/judaism-is-an-intellectually-based-religion-and-the-single-most/) [Norman Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) [Explore all 22 Norman Lamm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lamm/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conventional dogmas, even if endowed with the authority of an Aristotle - ancient or modern - must be tested vigorously. If they are found wanting, we need not bother with them. 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