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In the name of certainty, the greatest crimes have been committed against humanity.
Carlos Fuentes
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quest for certainty can lead to justifications for inhumane actions. This highlights the dangers of dogmatic beliefs.

Carlos Fuentes points out that throughout history, the desire for certainty and absolute beliefs has often led to justification for horrific crimes against humanity. In our pursuit of certainty, we risk committing violence and oppression, as individuals and societies fall into the trap of believing that their convictions, however extreme, are justified.

Themes

CertaintyCrimesHumanityBeliefsPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about ethics and history, this quote can underline how dogma has driven harmful actions.

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You have an absolute freedom in Mexican writing today in which you don't necessarily have to deal with the Mexican identity. You know why? Because we have an identity... We know who we are. We know what it means to be a Mexican.
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