--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the following pages I offer nothing…" description: "\"In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg" --- # In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple… ![“In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and repossession, and suffer his reason and feelings to determine for themselves; and that he…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg) > “In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and repossession, and suffer his reason and feelings to determine for themselves; and that he will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the true character of man, and generously enlarge his view beyond the present day.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Paine calls for readers to set aside bias, using reason and feeling to understand humanity’s true nature and broaden their perspective. **In simple terms:** Think freely, set aside prejudice. Key Takeaway Embrace rational, open‑minded thinking. Themes reason prejudice human nature Mood inspirational challenging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - debate - personal development Key Concepts enlightenment critical thinking self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What biases limit your understanding? - How can you practice open‑mindedness daily? A Different Perspective Prejudice may be deeply ingrained; change is hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [True character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-character/) ## Related quotes > [“I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain-arguments-and-common/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [I might show facts as plain as day: but, since your eyes are blind, you'd say, 'Where? What?' and turn away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-rossetti/i-might-show-facts-as-plain-as-day-but-since-your-eyes-are-blind-you/) [Christina Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-rossetti/) > [Facts are plain spoken; hopes and figures are its aversion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/facts-are-plain-spoken-hopes-and-figures-are-its-aversion/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Were a man to be totally deprived of memory, he would be incapable of forming any just opinion; everything about him would seem a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/were-a-man-to-be-totally-deprived-of-memory-he-would-be-incapable-of/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precedents-drawn-from-antiquity/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“-“The greatest discovery of this generation is the knowledge that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind” William James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekou-obadias/the-greatest-discovery-of-this-generation-is-the-knowledge-that-human/) Sekou Obadias > [The cross is like a walnut whose outer rind is bitter, but the inner kernel is pleasant and invigorating. So the cross does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/the-cross-is-like-a-walnut-whose-outer-rind-is-bitter-but-the-inner/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [I'm pulling out different aspects of my personality in writing each character and, if I'm doing my job well, I'm being true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-m-pulling-out-different-aspects-of-my-personality-in-writing-each/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [The true character of ministry is a servants heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-character-of-ministry-is-a-servants-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the ways to find your true CHARACTER is to evaluate how you behave and perform your deeds when you are alone or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/one-of-the-ways-to-find-your-true-character-is-to-evaluate-how-you/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Maybe you have to live under cover for a while before you can find your true character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-hamilton/maybe-you-have-to-live-under-cover-for-a-while-before-you-can-find/) [Hugo Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-hamilton/) > [“Leadership is built on true character! You lose your leadership when you fake your character. The degree of leadership potential a person can expose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leadership-is-built-on-true-character-you-lose-your-leadership-when/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It's the misfortune of German authors that not a single one of them dares to expose his true character. Everyone thinks that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/it-s-the-misfortune-of-german-authors-that-not-a-single-one-of-them/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“It is never too late to show true character.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-courtney/it-is-never-too-late-to-show-true-character/) [Bill Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-courtney/) > [“Love for others is the foundation of leadership. Simplicity is the language of leadership. Authenticity is the true character of leadership.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farshad-asl/love-for-others-is-the-foundation-of-leadership-simplicity-is-the/) [Farshad Asl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farshad-asl/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [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/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/those-who-expect-to-reap-the-blessings-of-freedom-must-like-men/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-has-been-the-practice-of-all-christian-commentators-on-the-bible/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Wisdom is not the purchase of a day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/wisdom-is-not-the-purchase-of-a-day/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/our-citizenship-in-the-united-states-is-our-national-character-our/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/suspicion-is-the-companion-of-mean-souls-and-the-bane-of-all-good/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“To pass from the extremes of danger to safety-from the tumult of war to the tranquility of peace, though sweet in contemplation, requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-pass-from-the-extremes-of-danger-to-safety-from-the-tumult-of-war/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What more does man want to know than that the hand or power that made these things is divine, is omnipotent? Let him believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-more-does-man-want-to-know-than-that-the-hand-or-power-that-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) [Explore all 772 Thomas Paine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [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/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and repossession, and suffer his reason and feelings to determine for themselves; and that he will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the true character of man, and generously enlarge his view beyond the present day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Paine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/thomas-paine-267_argument_in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-m_232597.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have…” — Thomas Paine", "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 Paine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the following pages I offer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain/#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 } } ] } ```