Dogma Quote by William James
“The greatest empiricists among us are only empiricists on reflection: when left to their instincts, they dogmatize like infallible popes.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: "The Will to Believe" (1902) or philosophical essay on empiricism
Empiricists claim objectivity but, rely on instinct, turning into dogmatic certainty like religious authority.
In simple terms: Even scientists can be dogmatic.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and stay open.
Themes
philosophy
science
dogmatism
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- research
- decision making
- teaching
Key Concepts
epistemology
critical thinking
bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize instinctive bias?
- When should you trust data over gut?
A Different Perspective
Human instincts can override rational analysis.
![“[H]e was damned if he was going to water down his arguments simply to satisfy the preference of the mob for dogma and ignorance.” quote by Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/998/ben-elton-12329_dogma_h-e-was-damned-if-he-was-going-to-water_19083.jpg)
