--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The error of those who reason by…" description: "\"“The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough into antiquity. They..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/thomas-paine-267_present-day_the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precede_1647743.jpg" --- # The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from… ![“The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough into antiquity. They do not go the whole way. They stop in some of the intermediate stages of an hundred or a thousand years, and produce what was then done, as a rule…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/thomas-paine-267_present-day_the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precede_1647743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/thomas-paine-267_present-day_the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precede_1647743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/thomas-paine-267_present-day_the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precede_1647743.jpg) > ““The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough into antiquity. They do not go the whole way. They stop in some of the intermediate stages of an hundred or a thousand years, and produce what was then done, as a rule for the present day. This is no authority at all. If we travel still farther into antiquity, we shall find a direct contrary opinion and practice prevailing; and if antiquity is to be authority, a thousand such authorities may be produced, successively contradicting each other; but if we proceed on, we shall at last come out right; we shall come to the time when man came from the hand of his Maker. What was he then? Man. Man was his high and only title, and a higher cannot be given him.”” [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. Relying on ancient precedents limits understanding; deeper historical study reveals varied views, leading to clearer truth. **In simple terms:** Old rules can mislead; deeper history shows truth. Key Takeaway Seek broader historical context before forming judgments. Themes history critical thinking authority Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - educational curricula - public discourse - legal reform Key Concepts philosophy legal theory Questions to Reflect On - What modern evidence challenges ancient authority? - How can we balance tradition with progress? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on antiquity may ignore modern relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antiquity Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity-authority-623855/) [Antiquity Respecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity-respecting-623856/) [Antiquity Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiquity-shall-623857/) [Precedents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedents-367797/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Reason Precedents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-precedents-623858/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [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-2/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/again-men-have-been-kept-back-as-by-a-kind-of-enchantment-from/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/in-the-following-pages-i-offer-nothing-more-than-simple-facts-plain/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is today supported by precedents will hereafter become a precedent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/what-is-today-supported-by-precedents-will-hereafter-become-a/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [I would rather be accused of breaking precedents than breaking promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-would-rather-be-accused-of-breaking-precedents-than-breaking/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [If you are strong enough, there are no precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/if-you-are-strong-enough-there-are-no-precedents/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Stability means respecting precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/stability-means-respecting-precedents/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [It is found by experience that admirable laws and right precedents among the good have their origin in the misdeeds of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-found-by-experience-that-admirable-laws-and-right-precedents/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Precedents once established are so much positive power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/precedents-once-established-are-so-much-positive-power/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Every lawyer of experience comes to know (more or less unconsciously) that in the great majority of cases, the precedents are none too good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-frank/every-lawyer-of-experience-comes-to-know-more-or-less-unconsciously/) [Jerome Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-frank/) > [Precedents deliberately established by wise men are entitled to great weight. They are evidence of truth, but only evidence...But a solitary precedent...which has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/precedents-deliberately-established-by-wise-men-are-entitled-to-great/) [Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/) > [As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the less occasion is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-increase-in-course-of-time-but/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Precedents are dangerous things; let the rein of government then be braced and held with a steady hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/precedents-are-dangerous-things-let-the-rein-of-government-then-be/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. 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