“Most boys or youths who have had much knowledge drilled into them, have their mental capacities not strengthened, but overlaid by it. They are crammed with mere facts, and with the opinions and phrases of other people, and these are accepted as a substitute for the power to form opinions of their own. And thus, the sons of eminent fathers, who have spared no pains in their education, so often grow up mere parroters of what they have learnt, incapable of using their minds except in the furrows traced for them.” PeopleMindFactsPainFormFatherGrowsOpinionBoysGrowing UpYouthSonCapacityMereAcceptedPhrasesSubstitutesIncapableNo Pain Book:Autobiography John Stuart Mill: Top Biography Source: Autobiography John Stuart Mill: Top Biography
“If there is no God, the labels 'good' and 'evil' are merely opinions. They are substitutes for 'I like it' and 'I don't like it.' They are not objective realities.” IfsRealityEvilOpinionObjectivesLabelsGood And EvilSubstitutesThere Is No GodObjective Reality Author:Dennis Prager
“I have received your letter of the 6th, with the eloquent discourse delivered at the consecration of the Jewish Synagogue. Having ever regarded the freedom of religious opinions and worship as equally belonging to every sect, and the secure enjoyment of it as the best human provision for bringing all either into the same way of thinking, or into that mutual charity which is the only substitute, I observe with pleasure the view you give of the spirit in which your sect partake of the blessings offered by our Government and laws.” ThinkingWayGivingHumansGovernmentLawSpiritReligiousPleasureViewsOpinionAtheismBlessingWorshipLettersCharityPositive AtheismSecureEnjoymentMutualBelongingSubstitutesDiscourseWay Of ThinkingProvisionEloquentSectsSynagogueConsecration Book:1816-1828 Source: 1816-1828
“I barely trust established sources of information. I have a hard time finding [Wikipedia], an encyclopedia that anyone can alter, to be a safe way to learn about anything except how many idiots think their opinions are a suitable substitute for facts.” ThinkingWayHardFactsOpinionInformationSourceSafeFindingsIdiotHard TimesSubstitutesSuitableWikipediaEncyclopedia Author:R. K. Milholland