Personally, I care nothing about names. It makes no difference to me what the supposed great men of the past have said, except as what they have said contains an argument; and that argument is worth to me the force it naturally has upon my mind. Christians forget that in the realm of reason there are no serfs and no monarchs.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker values reason over authority, asserting that great minds do not command belief without argument.
- In plain terms
- Reason matters more than authority or names.
- What can you take from it?
- Evaluate ideas by their argument, not their source.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Should authority change how you view an idea?
- How do you choose what to believe?
Another view
It overlooks the value of tradition and expertise.
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