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
It is not to be forgotten that what we call rational grounds for our beliefs are often extremely irrational attempts to justify our instincts.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our beliefs often stem from irrational foundations, masked as rational justifications.
In this quote, Thomas Huxley suggests that what we perceive as rational justifications for our beliefs may actually be rooted in instinctual and emotional responses. This reflects a deeper understanding of human psychology, where our reasoning can sometimes serve to validate feelings or impulses that we may not consciously acknowledge as irrational.
Themes
BeliefsRationalityInstinctsPsychologyJustification
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a philosophy class to discuss the nature of belief and knowledge.
More from Thomas Huxley
All quotes βThe 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.
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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.
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