“He seeks not to convince but to arouse — to challenge others to form free opinions.”

—  Karl Popper

On Freedom (1958)
Context: The true Enlightenment thinker, the true rationalist, never wants to talk anyone into anything. No, he does not even want to convince; all the time he is aware that he may be wrong. Above all, he values the intellectual independence of others too highly to want to convince them in important matters. He would much rather invite contradiction, preferably in the form of rational and disciplined criticism. He seeks not to convince but to arouse — to challenge others to form free opinions.

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Karl Popper 82
Austrian-British philosopher of science 1902–1994

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