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To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.

John Stuart Mill

The study of science teaches young men to think, while study of the classics teaches them to express thought.
JOHN STUART MILL

Expression Literature Science Study Teaching Thinking Young
The pupil who is never required to do what he cannot do, never does what he can do.
JOHN STUART MILL

Ability Action Himself Pupil Work
The struggle between Liberty and Authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history with which we are earliest familiar; particularly in that of Greece, Rome, and England
JOHN STUART MILL

History Liberty Portion Poverty Struggle
There is the greatest difference between presuming an opinion to be true, because, with every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted, and assuming its truth for the purpose of not permitting its refutation.
JOHN STUART MILL

Assumption Difference Greatness Opinion Purpose
Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economising.
JOHN STUART MILL

Growth Money Rich Risk Sleep
He who lets the world choose his plan of life for him has need of no other faculty than that of ape-like imitation.
JOHN STUART MILL

Choice Himself Imitation Planning World
It is not because men’s desires are strong that they act ill; it is because their consciences are weak.
JOHN STUART MILL

Act Conscience Desire Man Sick Strong Weakness
The object of universities is not to make skillful lawyers, physicians or engineers. It is to make capable and cultivated human beings.
JOHN STUART MILL

Human Lawyer Object University
The idea that truth always triumphs over persecution is one of those pleasant falsehoods, which most experience refutes. History is teeming with instances of truth put down by persecution. If not put down forever, it may be set back for centuries.
JOHN STUART MILL

Experience Forever History Ideas Persecution Truth
I did not mean that Conservatives are generally stupid; I meant, that stupid persons are generally Conservative. I believe that to be so obvious and undeniable a fact that I hardly think any hon. Gentleman will question it.
JOHN STUART MILL

Conservatism Fact Myself Question Stupidity Thinking
Men do not desire to be rich, but to be richer than other men.
JOHN STUART MILL

Desire Man Rich
A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.
JOHN STUART MILL

Action Evil Injury Oneself Person
Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.
JOHN STUART MILL

Finding Freedom Liberty Lying Right
The spirit of improvement is not always a spirit of liberty, for it may aim at forcing improvements on an unwilling people.
JOHN STUART MILL

Force Improvement Liberty People Spirit Willing
Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain.
JOHN STUART MILL

Absence Action Happiness Pain Pleasure Proportion Reverse Right
A democratic constitution, not supported by democratic institutions in detail, but confined to the central government, not only is not political freedom, but often creates a spirit precisely the reverse, carrying down to the lowest grade in society the desire and ambition of political domination.
JOHN STUART MILL

Ambition Creation Democracy Desire Domination Grade Institution Politics Society Spirit

To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.

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To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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