The Westminster Review, vol. 6 (1826), p. 13
Context: This habit of forming opinions, and acting upon them without evidence, is one of the most immoral habits of the mind.... As our opinions are the fathers of our actions, to be indifferent about the evidence of our opinions is to be indifferent about the consequences of our actions. But the consequences of our actions are the good and evil of our fellow-creatures. The habit of the neglect of evidence, therefore, is the habit of disregarding the good and evil of our fellow-creatures.
“The most fruitful and natural exercise for our minds is, in my opinion, conversation.”
Source: The Essays: A Selection
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Michel De Montaigne 264
(1533-1592) French-Occitan author, humanistic philosopher, … 1533–1592Related quotes
Arcesilaus, 12.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy
“Where no visible fruit can be found, there you may be sure is no conversion.”
Source: Old Paths (1878), Ch. XII: "Conversion", p. 335
Source: Psychology: An elementary textbook, 1908, p. 6; Partly cited in: Peter Ashworth, Man Cheung Chung (2007) Phenomenology and Psychological Science, p. 54.
Message to Congress (December 1822)
Source: Aspects of the Novel (1927), Chapter Seven: Prophecy
Context: Most of us will be eclectics to this side or that according to our temperament. The human mind is not a dignified organ, and I do not see how we can exercise it sincerely except through eclecticism. And the only advice I would offer my fellow eclectics is: "Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is a pity that Man cannot be at the same time impressive and truthful."