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Ignorance Quotes

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Ignorance Quotes

“Fish are not the best authority on water.”

Water Ignorance Authority Fishes Unawareness

Book:White Jenna

Source: White Jenna

“Each such answer to the great question, invariably asserted by the followers of its propounder, if not by himself, to be complete and final, remains in high authority and esteem, it may be for one century, or it may be for twenty: but, as invariably, Time proves each reply to have been a mere approximation to the truth tolerable chiefly on account of the ignorance of those by whom it was accepted, and wholly intolerable when tested by the larger knowledge of their successors.”

Source: The Major Prose of Thomas Henry Huxley

“Vulgar prejudices are those which arise out of accident, ignorance, or authority; natural prejudices are those which arise out of the constitution of the human mind itself.”

Mind Humans Natural Ignorance Authority Constitution Prejudice Accidents Arise Human Mind Vulgar

Book:Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].

Source: Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].

“In no other field of scientific endeavor do otherwise intelligent people feel free to make public claims based on prejudice and ignorance. Yet in relation to psychic phenomena, committed materialists feel free to disregard the evidence and behave irrationally and unscientifically, while claiming to speak in the name of science and reason. They abuse the authority of science and bring rationalism into disrepute.”

Source: Science Set Free: 10 Paths to New Discovery

“The reason why the simpler sort are moved by authority is the consciousness of their own ignorance”

Reason Consciousness Ignorance Authority Moved Reason Why

Author:Richard Hooker

“The reason why the simpler sort are moved with authority, is the consciousness of their own ignorance; whereby it cometh to pass that having learned men in admiration, they rather fear to dislike them than know wherefore they should allow and follow their judgments. Contrariwise with them that are skilful authority is much more strong and forcible; because they only are able to discern how just cause there is why to some men's authority so much should be attributed.”

Knows Men Should Reason Able Strong Causes Consciousness Ignorance Authority Judgment Moved Reason Why Admiration Dislike

Author:Richard Hooker

“Obedience to public authority ought not to be based either on ignorance or stupidity.”

Ignorance Ought Authority Stupidity Obedience

Book:Napoleon in his own words from the French of Jules Bertaut

Source: Napoleon in his own words from the French of Jules Bertaut

“There are four chief obstacles in grasping truth ... namely, submission to faulty and unworthy authority, influence of custom, popular prejudice, and the concealment of our own ignorance accompanied by an ostentatious display of our knowledge.”

Four Influence Ignorance Authority Prejudice Obstacles Chiefs Customs Display Submission Unworthy Grasping Concealment Ostentatious

Book:Opus Majus, Volumes 1 and 2

Source: Opus Majus, Volumes 1 and 2

“Those who wish to seek out the cause of miracles and to understand the things of nature as philosophers, and not to stare at them in astonishment like fools, are soon considered heretical and impious, and proclaimed as such by those whom the mob adores as the interpreters of nature and the gods.”

Knows Men Mean Would Be Religion Wish Causes Taken Atheism Ignorance Fool Authority Miracle Philosopher Staring Adore Astonishment Interpreter

Author:Baruch Spinoza