The judge should not be young; he should have learned to know evil, not from his own soul, but from late and long observation of the nature of evil in others: knowledge should be his guide, not personal experience.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Judges should rely on observed knowledge of evil in others rather than personal experience to remain impartial.
- In plain terms
- A judge needs to study evil in others, not live it, to judge fairly.
- What can you take from it?
- Impartiality comes from studying evil, not experiencing it.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can you know evil without touching it?
- Does experience always corrupt judgment?
Another view
Personal experience might still provide useful context despite the risk of bias.
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