Paul Harris Quotes

It is not possible to unknow what you do know - the result of that is fanaticism.

Moral certainty can deafen people to any truth other than their own.

When we believe ourselves in possession of the only truth, we are likely to be indifferent to common everyday truths.

The greater the ignorance the greater the dogmatism.

The world is made up for the most part of morons and natural tyrants, sure of themselves, strong in their own opinions, never doubting anything.

Nothing so obstinately stands in the way of all sorts of progress as pride of opinion. While nothing is so foolish and baseless.

I learned that very often the most intolerant and narrow-minded people are the ones who congratulate themselves on their tolerance and open-mindedness.

The sin of certainty leaves no room for the rest of us.

Extremists think "communication" means agreeing with them.

I'm right, and everyone else is wrong.

Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.

The need to be right is the sign of a vulgar mind.

It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we are not able to comprehend.

Folly always knows the answer.

Ignorance is stubborn and prejudice is hard.

Obviously, some people are thick, and they're not gonna see what they don't want to see.

The belief that there is only one truth, and that oneself is in possession of it, is the root of all evil in the world.

The mind of a bigot to the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour on it, the more it contracts.

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence.

Ignorance and fanaticism are ever busy and need feeding.

It comes to pass that men do so magnify their own opinions, and are as censorious of any that differ from them in lesser things

To refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.

When men are most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken.

We live in a world in which data convey authority. But authority has a way of descending to certitude, and certitude begets hubris.