Belief Quote by Simon Blackburn
““Someone sitting on a completely unreasonable belief is sitting on a time bomb. The apparently harmless, idiosyncratic belief of the Catholic Church that one thing may have the substance of another, although it displays absolutely none of its empirical qualities, prepares people for the view that some people are agents of Satan in disguise, which in turn makes it reasonable to destroy them.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Ethics of Belief, 1999
Unfounded beliefs can become dangerous, leading to hostility and justification of violence.
In simple terms: Bad beliefs can cause harm.
Key Takeaway
Question and test your assumptions.
Themes
critical thinking
religion
danger
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- interfaith dialogue
- education
- media consumption
Key Concepts
epistemology
radicalism
Questions to Reflect On
- What belief do you hold that could be challenged?
- How do you respond when others label your view as dangerous?
A Different Perspective
Even rational critique can be dismissed by zealots.
