--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is it more probable that nature should go…" description: "\"Is it more probable that nature should go out of her course or that a man should tell a lie? We have never seen, in our time, nature go out of her cour..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/thomas-paine-267_atheism_is-it-more-probable-that-nature-should-g_2917626.jpg" --- # Is it more probable that nature should go out of her… ![“Is it more probable that nature should go out of her course or that a man should tell a lie? We have never seen, in our time, nature go out of her course. But we have good reason to believe that millions of lies have been told in the same time. It is therefore at least millions to one that the…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/thomas-paine-267_atheism_is-it-more-probable-that-nature-should-g_2917626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/thomas-paine-267_atheism_is-it-more-probable-that-nature-should-g_2917626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/thomas-paine-267_atheism_is-it-more-probable-that-nature-should-g_2917626.jpg) > “Is it more probable that nature should go out of her course or that a man should tell a lie? We have never seen, in our time, nature go out of her course. But we have good reason to believe that millions of lies have been told in the same time. It is therefore at least millions to one that the reporter of a miracle tells a lie.” [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. Nature follows consistent laws, yet human reports of miracles often involve deceit, making false miracles highly probable. **In simple terms:** Nature is consistent; miracle reports are likely lies. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate extraordinary claims. Themes miracles truth skepticism Mood skeptical analytical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - journalism - science communication - critical thinking - historical analysis Key Concepts probability human deceit Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify extraordinary claims? - What evidence convinces you of truth? A Different Perspective Not all false reports are intentional lies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Lies Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies-told/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracle Tells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle-tells-4234922/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Probable Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probable-nature-552739/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Tell Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-lie/) [Tells Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tells-lie-1040951/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Is it more probable that nature should go out of her course, or that a man should tell a lie? We have never seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/is-it-more-probable-that-nature-should-go-out-of-her-course-or-that-a/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“Every time you tell yourself "you had to lie to them" two lies are told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/every-time-you-tell-yourself-you-had-to-lie-to-them-two-lies-are-told/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Greater physiological knowledge of the brain makes the existence of the soul less possible yet more probable, by the nature of the search.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/greater-physiological-knowledge-of-the-brain-makes-the-existence-of/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Nature prefers the more probable states to the less probable because in nature processes take place in the direction of greater probability. Heat goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/nature-prefers-the-more-probable-states-to-the-less-probable-because/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Those who tells truth are with God, and those who tells lie are with the Devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/those-who-tells-truth-are-with-god-and-those-who-tells-lie-are-with/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [He who tells a lie is not sensible of how great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/he-who-tells-a-lie-is-not-sensible-of-how-great-a-task-he-undertakes/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“If someone tells you a lie, they're not telling you the truth, but they are telling you something. It just takes longer to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-livesey/if-someone-tells-you-a-lie-they-re-not-telling-you-the-truth-but-they/) [Margot Livesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-livesey/) > [“Anyone who tells a lie has not pure heart, and cannot make good soup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/anyone-who-tells-a-lie-has-not-pure-heart-and-cannot-make-good-soup/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [“Always trust your heart. It never tells you lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-m-nashar/always-trust-your-heart-it-never-tells-you-lie/) [Karla M. Nashar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-m-nashar/) > [A drunk man never tells a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdman1109/a-drunk-man-never-tells-a-lie/) [Birdman1109](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdman1109/) > [DEATH is the only way to meet Tne One that you really believe in and never tells a lie, when you are sick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldyna-threesya/death-is-the-only-way-to-meet-tne-one-that-you-really-believe-in-and/) [Aldyna Threesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldyna-threesya/) > [Whoever tells a lie is not pure of heart, and such a person can not cook a clean soup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/whoever-tells-a-lie-is-not-pure-of-heart-and-such-a-person-can-not/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [“Teach them the shame that tells the lie, “I am unforgivable,” when the truth is, “I feel unforgivable, but it was out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-wood/teach-them-the-shame-that-tells-the-lie-i-am-unforgivable-when-the/) [Geoffrey Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-wood/) > [“3. When the behavior changes occur in relation to a specific topic or question, that tells the lie catcher this could be a hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/3-when-the-behavior-changes-occur-in-relation-to-a-specific-topic-or/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [I've come to understand and to believe that each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done. I believe that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-ve-come-to-understand-and-to-believe-that-each-of-us-is-more-than/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. 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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 Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [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/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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