Adherence Quote by Sam Harris
“Rather than bring the full force of our creativity and rationality to bear on the problems of ethics, social cohesion, and even spiritual experience, moderates merely ask that we relax our standard of adherence to ancient superstitions and taboos, while otherwise maintaining a belief system that was passed down to us from men and women whose lives were simply ravaged by their basic ignorance about the world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Moral Landscape, 2010
Rationality and creativity should address ethical and spiritual issues, not just be constrained by outdated superstitions.
In simple terms: Think critically about ethics, not just follow tradition.
Key Takeaway
Apply reason to moral and spiritual questions.
Themes
ethics
reason
spirituality
tradition
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education reform
- personal belief systems
- community building
Key Concepts
philosophy
cognitive science
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance tradition with rational inquiry?
- What role does creativity play in ethics?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated beliefs is difficult and slow.
![“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern world. [...] The first thing to observe about the moderate’s retreat from scriptural literalism is that it draws its inspiration not from scripture but from…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b44/sam-harris-457_bible_moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to_6967.jpg)
