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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Intelligence and wisdom do not detract from beauty or sweetness.
This quote by Thomas Huxley emphasizes that a woman's beauty, symbolized by 'sweetness' and 'golden hair', is not diminished by her intelligence or wisdom. It suggests that possessing knowledge and brains can coexist with traditional notions of beauty, ultimately enhancing one's overall character rather than detracting from it.
Themes
WisdomBeautyIntelligenceEducationStrength
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to encourage students to value both their intellect and their individuality.
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.
Thomas HuxleyRead
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.
Thomas HuxleyRead
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
The scientific spirit is of more value than its products, and irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.
Thomas HuxleyRead
Similar quotes
Don't be afraid to ask the 'dumb' question, everyone else will be relieved you had the guts to ask!
Sheryl SandbergRead
I now understand what Nelle Morton meant when she said that one of the great tasks in our time is to "hear people to speech." Behind their fearful silence, our students want to find their voices, speak their voices, have their voices heard. A good teacher is one who can listen to those voices even before they are spoken-so that someday they can speak with truth and confidence.
Parker J. PalmerRead
For me, I was always the only woman in my cohort, first as a mechanical engineering undergraduate student, then as a chemical engineering graduate student. There were very few women getting degrees in those fields at the time. My role models were men - great men role models.
Frances ArnoldRead
Like all those possessing a library, Aurelian was aware that he was guilty of not knowing his in its entirety.
Jorge Luis BorgesRead
I don't care if a reader hates one of my stories, just as long as he finishes the book.
Roald DahlRead
When you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you. What I want is to have the reader come out just 6 percent more awake to the world.
George SaundersRead