“Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.”

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.

There are two distinct classes of men – those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes.

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.

We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.

It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.

Reason and Ignorance, the opposites of each other, influence the great bulk of mankind. If either of these can be rendered sufficiently extensive in a country, the machinery of Government goes easily on. Reason obeys itself; and Ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.

A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.

It is always to be taken for granted, that those who oppose an equality of rights never mean the exclusion should take place on themselves.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of humans; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy.

Every proprietor owes to the community a ground-rent for the land which he holds.

The only thing worse than human ignorance is human pride in that ignorance.

Impartiality is a pompous name for indifference, which is an elegant name for ignorance.

It’s ignorant to think you know everything about a person. There’s many different sides to everybodys personality and there’s just different colours to a personality.

Apocalypse does not point to a fiery Armageddon but to the fact that our ignorance and our complacency are coming to an end.

Agnostic is the Greek word, for the Latin word, for ignorant.

Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. Closing our eyes, we leap from that cliff in hope of a soft landing. Nor is it always soft; but still, without that leap nobody comes to life.

Freedom that ignores the transcendent difference between good and evil ends in the denial of freedom itself.

Ignorance has its virtues; without it there’d be mighty little conversation.