--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To state a lie firmly, categorically and…" description: "\"To state a lie firmly, categorically and with great authority, undeterred by the fact that all concerned know it to be a lie, is one of the principal a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/stephen-vizinczey-20251_activity_to-state-a-lie-firmly-categorically-and_457842.jpg" --- # To state a lie firmly, categorically and with great… ![“To state a lie firmly, categorically and with great authority, undeterred by the fact that all concerned know it to be a lie, is one of the principal activities defined by the term practising law.” quote by Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/stephen-vizinczey-20251_activity_to-state-a-lie-firmly-categorically-and_457842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/stephen-vizinczey-20251_activity_to-state-a-lie-firmly-categorically-and_457842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/stephen-vizinczey-20251_activity_to-state-a-lie-firmly-categorically-and_457842.jpg) > “To state a lie firmly, categorically and with great authority, undeterred by the fact that all concerned know it to be a lie, is one of the principal activities defined by the term practising law.” [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law often involves asserting falsehoods with confidence, exploiting the trust placed in authority. **In simple terms:** Law can be used to present lies as truth. Key Takeaway Question authority, demand evidence. Themes law ethics power truth authority Mood skeptical critical inquisitive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - courtroom - political speeches - media statements - corporate communications Key Concepts legal rhetoric social manipulation institutional trust Questions to Reflect On - How does authority affect belief in false statements? - What safeguards can prevent misuse of legal rhetoric? A Different Perspective Lies can be exposed when evidence is demanded and scrutiny applied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Great author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-author/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) ## Related quotes > [The wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-wise-thing-is-for-us-diligently-to-train-ourselves-to-lie/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Lying is universal - we all do it. 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Great books are not in everybody's reach; and though it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/why-are-not-more-gems-from-our-great-authors-scattered-over-the/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [The only people I have ever seen paint successfully, consistently, with great authority, unselfconsciously and without fear of failing were about four years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-johnson/the-only-people-i-have-ever-seen-paint-successfully-consistently-with/) [Brian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-johnson/) ## More by Stephen Vizinczey > [Thou shalt not let a day pass without rereading something great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/thou-shalt-not-let-a-day-pass-without-rereading-something-great/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are not the ones that divide people but those on which they agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/as-a-rule-the-most-dangerous-ideas-are-not-the-ones-that-divide/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I had affairs with a few girls of my own age, and they taught me that no girl, however intelligent and war-hearted, can possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-had-affairs-with-a-few-girls-of-my-own-age-and-they-taught-me-that/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [The truth is that our race survived ignorance; it is our scientific genius that will do us in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/the-truth-is-that-our-race-survived-ignorance-it-is-our-scientific/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [You tell me your favorite novelists and I'll tell you whom you vote for, or whether you vote at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/you-tell-me-your-favorite-novelists-and-i-ll-tell-you-whom-you-vote/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I suppose it's more unnerving to be a boy than a girl,' she conceded.'It's the boys who have to make fools of themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-suppose-it-s-more-unnerving-to-be-a-boy-than-a-girl-she-conceded-it/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Strange as it may seem, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education positively fortifies it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/strange-as-it-may-seem-no-amount-of-learning-can-cure-stupidity-and/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Art experts are unfailingly opposed to Art for the simple reason that they are interested in Art - but Art is not interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/art-experts-are-unfailingly-opposed-to-art-for-the-simple-reason-that/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Whenever you hear the word "inevitable", watch out! An enemy of humanity has identified himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/whenever-you-hear-the-word-inevitable-watch-out-an-enemy-of-humanity/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Is it possible that I am not alone in believing that in the dispute between Galileo and the Church, the Church was right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/is-it-possible-that-i-am-not-alone-in-believing-that-in-the-dispute/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Great writers are not those who tell us we shouldn’t play with fire, but those who make our fingers burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/great-writers-are-not-those-who-tell-us-we-shouldn-t-play-with-fire/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [To be great is to assume great concerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/to-be-great-is-to-assume-great-concerns/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [We now have a whole culture based on the assumption that people know nothing and so anything can be said to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/we-now-have-a-whole-culture-based-on-the-assumption-that-people-know/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I made a resolution I would throw myself into the Danube if I didn't ask you to make love with me today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-made-a-resolution-i-would-throw-myself-into-the-danube-if-i-didn-t/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Most bad books get that way because their authors are engaged in trying to justify themselves. If a vain author is an alcoholic, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/most-bad-books-get-that-way-because-their-authors-are-engaged-in/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) [Explore all 31 Stephen Vizinczey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. 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It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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