One of the strangest applications of reason is to believe that it is a masterpiece to abstain from using it and thus, born with wings, to cut them off.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Reason is meant to be used, so choosing not to use it is an absurd contradiction of its purpose.
- In plain terms
- It is foolish to have reason and choose not to use it.
- What can you take from it?
- Use your reasoning abilities rather than suppressing them.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is it wise to stop thinking?
- What does it mean to use reason well?
Another view
Some philosophical traditions value silence or intuition over active reasoning.
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