Quotes from Nigel Warburton

Those who do the right thing don't do it simply because of how they feel: the decision has to be based on reason, reason that tells you what your duty is, regardless of how you happen to feel.

Mill sets out several related arguments for protecting freedom of speech, not just from oppressive government intervention, but also from social pressures. Underlying them all are the assumptions that (a) truth is valuable, and (b) no matter how certain someone is that they know the truth, their judgement is still fallible: they might still be wrong.

If the view is correct, then humanity misses the opportunity to exchange truth for error. If, however, the view is misguided, then we forfeit an opportunity to reinforce truth through its collision with error. Every opinion has value for us either because it is true, or else because, though false, it reinforces the truth and contributes to its emergence.

Anyone who silences someone else because they believe the other person's opinion is false assumes infallibility. They must be absolutely certain that they are correct on the matter.

There once was a man who said 'God Must think it exceedingly odd     If he finds that this tree     Continues to be When there's no one about in the Quad.

If you only know your own side of a case, then your belief is likely to be inadequate. You need to be able to refute counter-arguments to your position otherwise you aren't justified in your belief even if it happens to be true.

Dear Sir, Your astonishment's odd: I am always about in the Quad.     And that's why the tree     Will continue to be, Since observed by Yours faithfully, God.

If we silence those who utter falsehoods, we run the risk of becoming dogmatic, of believing without understanding, or feeling passionate about the evidence supporting our beliefs. We also run the risk that such false beliefs will be given greater credence by the very fact that they are suppressed rather than openly refuted.

Alguém que iça as velas de um barco e assim se deixa levar pelas tempestades não esteve numa viagem; apenas foi jogado de um lado para o outro. O mesmo acontece com a vida. Estar fora de controle, ser carregado pelos acontecimentos sem ter tempo para as experiências mais valiosas e significativas, é bem diferente de viver verdadeiramente.

The message is that riches, power and honour are worthless since they can come and go. No one should base their happiness on such fragile foundations. Happiness has to come from something that is more solid, something that can't be taken away. As Boethius believed that he would continue to live after death, seeking happiness in trivial worldly things was a mistake.

Epicurus summed up his whole philosophy in his epitaph: 'I was not; I have been; I am not; I do not mind' If

In Hobbes' memorable description, life outside society would be 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short'.

The idea that religious beliefs but not others should receive special protection is bizarre: all types of belief should be open to scrutiny, criticism, parody, and potentially ridicule in a free society. Indeed

Boethius, dunyada adaletin yokmus gibi gorunmesine hayiflanir. Cogu kez iyiler ve erdemliler aci cekerken kotuler gonenir. Felsefe, iyiyi arayislariyla nihai amaca, sahici mutluluga ulasma gucune sahip olduklari icin aslinda erdemlilerin odullendirildigini iddia eder. Kotuler yalnizca goneniyormus gibi gorunur: Aslinda akillarini terk etmekle insanliktan cikarlar ve onlara ceza vermek yerine acimak ve tedavi etmek gerekir.

In a civilized society freedom to offend should be protected, but

minority opinions should not be silenced just because they are held by very few people. Unfashionable ideas have potential value for the whole of humanity, even if only held by one person: If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.

Another way Epicurus thought he could cure his followers of their fear of death was by pointing out the difference between what we feel about the future and what we feel about the past.

Plato thought that letting the people vote was like letting the passengers steer a ship – far better to let people who knew what they were doing take charge.

wisdom and understanding in the course of human history will only come fully at a late stage, when we're looking back on what has already happened, like someone looking back on the events of a day as night falls.

Without free expression humankind may be robbed of ideas that would otherwise have contributed to its development. Preserving freedom of speech maximizes the chance of truth emerging from its collision with error and half-truth. It also reinvigorates the beliefs of those who would otherwise be at risk of holding views as dead dogma.

In 1755 one of the worst natural disasters of the eighteenth century occurred: the Lisbon earthquake that killed more than 20,000 people. This Portuguese city was devastated not just by the earthquake, but also by the tsunami that followed, and then by fires that raged for days.

If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.

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