--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where we desire to be informed 'tis good…" description: "\"Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, 'tis best to argue with judgme..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png" --- # Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with… ![“Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, 'tis best to argue with judgments below our own, that the frequent spoils and victories over their reasons may settle in ourselves an esteem and confirmed opinion of our own.” quote by Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png) > “Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, 'tis best to argue with judgments below our own, that the frequent spoils and victories over their reasons may settle in ourselves an esteem and confirmed opinion of our own.” [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To form solid opinions, first learn from superiors, then test them against the judgments of those less learned, gaining confidence through debate. **In simple terms:** Learn from experts, then argue with novices to strengthen views. Key Takeaway Use diverse perspectives to refine beliefs. Themes critical thinking learning debate Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - public discourse - personal development Key Concepts epistemology self‑confidence Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance learning from experts and questioning them? - What role does humility play in argument? A Different Perspective Relying on less informed opinions may reinforce bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argue Judgments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argue-judgments-2121925/) [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Contests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contests/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Establish Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establish-opinions-2121924/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Judgments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgments/) [Judgments Frequent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgments-frequent-2121927/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Settle Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settle-esteem-2121926/) [Settling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settling/) [Spoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoil/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [Rich with the spoils of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/rich-with-the-spoils-of-nature/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [there is no best and no worst, ...those judgments have no real meaning because there is only what is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-is-no-best-and-no-worst-those-judgments-have-no-real-meaning/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think that unless you can take judgments of right and wrong like an automaton, you must have emotions because that is our only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/i-think-that-unless-you-can-take-judgments-of-right-and-wrong-like-an/) [Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/) > [“Getting rid of human judgments altogether—even those from highly experienced and credentialed people—and relying solely on numbers plugged into formulas, often yields better results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mcafee/getting-rid-of-human-judgments-altogether-even-those-from-highly/) [Andrew McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mcafee/) > [Make no judgments where you have no compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/make-no-judgments-where-you-have-no-compassion/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“It may not be fair that people make judgments so quickly, usually within a few seconds of observation, but it's unrealistic to expect that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-may-not-be-fair-that-people-make-judgments-so-quickly-usually/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [The judgments our enemies make about us come nearer to the truth than those we make about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-judgments-our-enemies-make-about-us-come-nearer-to-the-truth-than/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“R.E.A.L. conversation: Recognize judgments. Express thoughts neutrally. Ask questions. Listen for verbal & non-verbal messages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stoker/r-e-a-l-conversation-recognize-judgments-express-thoughts-neutrally/) [John Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stoker/) > [My responsibility is to make judgments about hard, complex issues that I believe to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/my-responsibility-is-to-make-judgments-about-hard-complex-issues-that/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [I'm not in charge of judgments in Iran. The judicial system in Iran is an independent body of its own, and it follows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/i-m-not-in-charge-of-judgments-in-iran-the-judicial-system-in-iran-is/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [“All of God’s judgments are aimed at whatever interferes with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/all-of-god-s-judgments-are-aimed-at-whatever-interferes-with-love/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I see men's judgments are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward Do draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-see-men-s-judgments-are-a-parcel-of-their-fortunes-and-things/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [People make judgments about Scientology, but often they don't know what they're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/people-make-judgments-about-scientology-but-often-they-don-t-know/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Aesthetic judgments, rather than abstract reasoning, guide and shape the process by which we all come to know what we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/aesthetic-judgments-rather-than-abstract-reasoning-guide-and-shape/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [We have to make judgments on the individual players and we're not always going to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/we-have-to-make-judgments-on-the-individual-players-and-we-re-not/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) ## More by Thomas Browne > [Be substantially great in thyself, and more than thou appearest unto others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/be-substantially-great-in-thyself-and-more-than-thou-appearest-unto/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Not to be content with Life is the unsatisfactory state of those which destroy themselves; who being afraid to live, run blindly upon their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/not-to-be-content-with-life-is-the-unsatisfactory-state-of-those/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“It is we that are blind, not Fortune: because our eye is too dim to discover the mystery of her effects, we foolishly paint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/it-is-we-that-are-blind-not-fortune-because-our-eye-is-too-dim-to/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“That there must be heresies is true, not onely in our Church, but also in any other; even in Doctrines hereticall there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/that-there-must-be-heresies-is-true-not-onely-in-our-church-but-also/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Think it more satisfactory to live richly than die rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/think-it-more-satisfactory-to-live-richly-than-die-rich/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Think not thy time short in this world, since the world itself is not long. The created world is but a small parenthesis in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/think-not-thy-time-short-in-this-world-since-the-world-itself-is-not/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Let him have the key of thy heart, who hath the lock of his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/let-him-have-the-key-of-thy-heart-who-hath-the-lock-of-his-own/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“There is a musicke where-ever there is a harmony, order or proportion; and thus farre we may maintain the musick of the spheares; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/there-is-a-musicke-where-ever-there-is-a-harmony-order-or-proportion/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Death is the cure for all diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/death-is-the-cure-for-all-diseases/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Lord deliver me from myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/lord-deliver-me-from-myself/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [The mortalist enemy unto knowledge, and that which hath done the greatest execution unto truth, has been a preemptory adhesion unto authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/the-mortalist-enemy-unto-knowledge-and-that-which-hath-done-the/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [To ruminate upon evils, to make critical notes upon injuries, and be too acute in their apprehensions, is to add unto our own tortures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/to-ruminate-upon-evils-to-make-critical-notes-upon-injuries-and-be/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [That miracles have been, I do believe; that they may yet be wrought by the living, I do not deny; but I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/that-miracles-have-been-i-do-believe-that-they-may-yet-be-wrought-by/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [We all labour against our own cure, for death is the cure of all diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/we-all-labour-against-our-own-cure-for-death-is-the-cure-of-all/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) [Explore all 192 Thomas Browne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, 'tis best to argue with judgments below our own, that the frequent spoils and victories over their reasons may settle in ourselves an esteem and confirmed opinion of our own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Browne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good-to-contest-with-men-above/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good-to-contest-with-men-above/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/thomas-browne-2006_arguing_where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good_1811815.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish…” — Thomas Browne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Browne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Where we desire to be informed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good-to-contest-with-men-above/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/where-we-desire-to-be-informed-tis-good-to-contest-with-men-above/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```