“I’ll argue to the death against stupid legislation, but some rules exist for a reason.”

— Alastair Reynolds, book On the Steel Breeze

Source: On the Steel Breeze (2013), Chapter 5 (p. 43)

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Alastair Reynolds198

British novelist and astronomer 1966

Ally Carter book Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Source: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

“If reason ruled the world would history even exist?”

Ryszard Kapuściński (1932–2007) Polish historian

“How to argue with sociopathic reasoning? Lisa was the heart of Lisa’s universe. Other people existed only to be exploited.”

Glen Cook book Shadows Linger

Source: Shadows Linger (1984), Chapter 29, “Juniper: Payoff” (p. 346)

“Those who invalidate reason, ought seriously to consider, "whether they argue against reason, with or without reason; if with reason, then they establish the principle, that they are laboring to dethrone;" but if they argue without reason, (which, in order to be consistent with themselves, they must do,) they are out of the reach of rational conviction, nor do they deserve a rational argument.”

Ethan Allen (1738–1789) American general

Source: Reason: The Only Oracle Of Man (1784), Ch. IV Section I - Speculation on the Doctrine of the Depravity of Human Reason

“No matter how stupid they were, they could not be more stupid than the average legislator under the present system.”

H.L. Mencken (1880–1956) American journalist and writer

329
1940s–present, Minority Report : H.L. Mencken's Notebooks (1956)
Context: My old suggestion that public offices be filled by drawing lots, as a jury box is filled, was probably more intelligent than I suspected. It has been criticized on the ground that selecting a man at random would probably produce some extremely bad State governors. [... ] But I incline to believe that it would be best to choose members of the Legislature quite at random. No matter how stupid they were, they could not be more stupid than the average legislator under the present system. Certainly, they'd be measurably more honest, taking one with another. Finally, there would be the great advantage that all of them had got their jobs unwillingly, and were eager, not to spin out their sessions endlessly, but to get home as soon as possible.