--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the duty of every man, as far as…" description: "\"It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.\" — Thomas Paine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png" --- # It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability… ![“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png) > “It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.” [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. Everyone should use their ability to uncover and challenge falsehoods and mistakes. **In simple terms:** Expose delusion and error. Key Takeaway Cultivate critical thinking. Themes philosophy politics critical thinking social responsibility Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - Debate clubs - education curricula - public discourse Key Concepts Rational inquiry skepticism ethical duty Questions to Reflect On - What methods ensure unbiased detection of error? - How can societies encourage widespread critical inquiry? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may blind one to personal biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [The duty of man is not a wilderness of turnpike gates, through which he is to pass by tickets from one to the other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-duty-of-man-is-not-a-wilderness-of-turnpike-gates-through-which/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The first duty of man is to support himself - to see to it that he does not become a burden. His next duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-first-duty-of-man-is-to-support-himself-to-see-to-it-that-he-does/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The first duty of man is the seeking after and the investigation of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-first-duty-of-man-is-the-seeking-after-and-the-investigation-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The duty of man is the same in respect to his own nature as in respect to the nature of all other things, namely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-duty-of-man-is-the-same-in-respect-to-his-own-nature-as-in/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Morality or duty never yet made a man happy in himself or dear to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/morality-or-duty-never-yet-made-a-man-happy-in-himself-or-dear-to/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The real duty of man is not to extend his power or multiply his wealth beyond his needs, but to enrich and enjoy his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-highet/the-real-duty-of-man-is-not-to-extend-his-power-or-multiply-his/) [Gilbert Highet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-highet/) > [To mind your own business incorporates the whole duty of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/to-mind-your-own-business-incorporates-the-whole-duty-of-man/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [The first duty of a man is to think for himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/the-first-duty-of-a-man-is-to-think-for-himself/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [It is the duty of every man to uphold the dignity of every woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-to-uphold-the-dignity-of-every-woman/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The foundation of a man's duty as a man is in truth. Beyond this there is nothing to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torii-mototada/the-foundation-of-a-man-s-duty-as-a-man-is-in-truth-beyond-this-there/) [Torii Mototada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torii-mototada/) > [To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/to-be-good-and-do-good-is-the-whole-duty-of-man-comprised-in-a-few/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Women think of being a man as a gift. It is a duty. Even making love can be a duty. A man has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/women-think-of-being-a-man-as-a-gift-it-is-a-duty-even-making-love/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [The first duty of man is to conquer fear; he must get rid of it, he cannot act till then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-first-duty-of-man-is-to-conquer-fear-he-must-get-rid-of-it-he/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The first duty of man is that of subduing fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-first-duty-of-man-is-that-of-subduing-fear/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## 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 Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Paine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-his-ability-extends-to-detect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-his-ability-extends-to-detect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/thomas-paine-267_ability_it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-hi_1575800.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.” — 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": "It is the duty of every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-his-ability-extends-to-detect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-the-duty-of-every-man-as-far-as-his-ability-extends-to-detect/#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 } } ] } ```