It is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.
Thomas HuxleyRead
The only freedom I care about is the freedom to do right; the freedom to do wrong I am ready to part with on the cheapest terms to anyone who will take it of me
Interpretation
What this quote means
True freedom is defined by the ability to choose what is right, rather than simply having the liberty to make wrong choices.
In this quote, Thomas Huxley emphasizes the idea that genuine freedom is not merely the absence of restrictions, but rather the moral integrity that guides our decisions. He expresses a willingness to relinquish the freedom to act wrongly, indicating a higher value placed on moral choices over mere liberty.
Themes
FreedomRightWrongMoralChoices
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about ethical leadership, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of making moral choices.
More from Thomas Huxley
All quotes →The child who has been taught to make an accurate elevation, plan, and section of a pint pot has had an admirable training in accuracy of eye and hand.
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Let us have "sweet girl graduates" by all means. They will be none the less sweet for a little wisdom; and the "golden hair" will not curl less gracefully outside the head by reason of there being brains within.
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The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.
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It is the first duty of a hypothesis to be intelligible.
Thomas HuxleyRead
Of the few innocent pleasures left to men past middle life, the jamming of common sense down the throats of fools is perhaps the keenest.
Thomas HuxleyRead
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