Dogma Quote by Sam Harris
““We have this kind of shibboleth which says: what wasn’t reasoned into existence can’t be reasoned out. The truth I think is rather much closer to this: that people are making desperate efforts, rather heroic efforts, to be reasonable, to have a coherent worldview, and when those efforts become too costly or too embarrassing… dogma loses.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast "Making Sense", Episode 267, 2022
The quote argues that people strive to construct rational worldviews, but when the cost of maintaining dogma becomes too high, it collapses.
In simple terms: People try to be reasonable, but costly dogma falls apart.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when beliefs become burdensome.
Themes
reasoning
dogma
effort
worldview
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal decisionmaking
- political debate
- academic discourse
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
belief systems
rationality
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you clung to a belief despite evidence?
- How do you balance coherence with flexibility?
A Different Perspective
Dogma can persist despite costs if reinforced socially.
![“[H]e was damned if he was going to water down his arguments simply to satisfy the preference of the mob for dogma and ignorance.” quote by Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/998/ben-elton-12329_dogma_h-e-was-damned-if-he-was-going-to-water_19083.jpg)
![“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)
