Authority Quote by Susan Stebbing
“The opposite of thinking clearly is being muddled. To be conscious of being muddled is a horrible experience. To avoid it we may even be tempted to shut our minds and swallow a belief, ready-made, from some expert authority.”
About This Quote
Clarity of thought is undermined by confusion; recognizing this discomfort often leads people to accept unexamined authority to escape mental disarray.
In simple terms: Confusion drives blind acceptance of authority.
Key Takeaway
Awareness of muddled thinking prompts reliance on external certainty.
Themes
critical thinking
cognitive bias
intellectual humility
authority influence
Mood
reflective
cautious
inquisitive
Type
aphor
advice
When to use this quote
- when faced with complex decisions
- during information overload
- in academic settings
- under stress
- in groupthink scenarios
Key Concepts
clarity
self-awareness
expertise
mental discomfort
Practical Applications
- encourage independent analysis
- design decision‑support tools
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we recognize when we are avoiding mental effort?
- What practices help maintain clarity amid uncertainty?
![“The person who thinks with [their] own brain is to be preferred to the one who blindly approves everything… Better an error consciously committed and in good faith, than a good action performed in a servile manner.” quote by Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a98/errico-malatesta-20817_action_the-person-who-thinks-with-their-own-bra_1684228.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)