“Science has been effective at furthering our understanding of nature because the scientific ethos is based on three key principles: (1) follow the evidence wherever it leads; (2) if one has a theory, one needs to be willing to try to prove it wrong as much as one tries to prove that it is right; (3) the ultimate arbiter of truth is experiment, not the comfort one derives from one's a priori beliefs, nor the beauty or elegance one ascribes to one's theoretical models.” IfsNeedsTryingHas BeensThreeBeliefUnderstandingCommonPrinciplesWillingTheoryKeysComfortTruth IsProveModelsEvidenceUltimateExperimentsCommon SenseEleganceTheoreticalProve ItEthosArbiterWilling To Try Book:A Universe From Nothing Source: A Universe From Nothing
“"Objective" means that, in a confrontation with the evidence, you would be willing to change your own mind.” MindMeanWould BePainWillingEvidenceObjectivesTherapyInjuryConfrontationWilling To Change Author:Christopher Hitchens
“The definition of an extreme authoritarian is one who is willing blindly to assume that government accusations are true without any evidence presented or opportunity to contest those accusations.” GovernmentOpportunityWillingEvidenceAssumingDefinitionsExtremesContestsAccusation Author:Glenn Greenwald
“It would strike me as ridiculous to want to doubt the existence of Napoleon; but if someone doubted the existence of the earth 150years ago, perhaps I should be more willing to listen, for now he is doubting our whole system of evidence.” IfsWantShouldWholeEarthExistenceHistoryDoubtWillingEvidenceStrikesRidiculousDoubted Book:On Certainty Source: On Certainty
“Some say Edward Snowden is a hero and a patriot. Others say he's a fool and a traitor. The evidence is mounting that the guy who leaked the details about the National Security Agency's Internet-eavesdropping program may be something more sinister - namely, a willing tool in China's ongoing cyberwar against our nation.” MayGuyNationsSecurityWillingFoolInternetHeroEvidenceProgramToolsDetailsChinaAgencyPatriotNational SecurityOngoingTraitorSinisterSnowdenEavesdropping Author:Arthur L. Herman
“There is no limit to suffering human beings have been willing to inflict on others, no matter how innocent, no matter how young, and no matter how old. This fact must lead all reasonable human beings, that is, all human beings who take evidence seriously, to draw only one possible conclusion: Human nature is not basically good.” HumansHas BeensMatterFactsYoungSufferingHuman BeingsHuman NatureWillingLimitsDrawsEvidenceInnocentConclusionReasonable Book:Dennis Prager: Volume I Source: Dennis Prager: Volume I
“A skeptic is one who is willing to question any truth claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic, and adequacy of evidence.” WillingEvidenceLogicClaimsAskingDefinitionsClarityConsistencySkepticAdequacy Author:Paul Kurtz
“There's no evidence whatsoever that men are more rational than women or that men are more willing to surrender their irrational beliefs. Both sexes seem to be equally irrational.” MenSeemsBeliefSexWillingEvidenceSurrenderRationalIrrationalIrrational Beliefs Author:Albert Ellis