Quotes about Integrity Of Beliefs

Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.

To kill a man is not to defend a doctrine, but to kill a man.

Any doctrine that will not bear investigation is not a fit tenant for the mind of an honest man. Any doctrine that will not bear investigation is not a fit tenant for the mind of an honest man. Any man who is afraid to have his doctrine investigated is not only a coward but a hypocrite.

You have principles. You test them as accurately as you can. Eventually, they might break down.

It's very difficult to distinguish between what a person believes and what they say they believe.

There are no contradictions. If you find one, check your premises.

To be brilliant is not a matter of being right more often than the next fellow; yes, that may be part of the pedestrian definition. It is in large part a matter of holding firm to convictions as long as possible, but not a moment longer.

If a man isn't willing to take some risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or he's no good

T. H. Huxley's formulation was The foundation of morality is to … give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibilities of knowledge.

Men who borrow their opinions can never repay their debts.

If you let other people decide what you think about something like that, if you just follow along because it's trendy, then who are you? When the flock changes direction tomorrow, what, you just throw away everything you think and start over, because other people said so? Then what are you, underneath? You're nothing. You're no one.

Do not swallow your moral code in tablet form.

The only question which any wise man can ask himself, and which any honest man will ask himself, is whether a doctrine is true or false.

I realized that even if all the people in the world from the day of creation found this to be necessary according to whatever theory, I knew that it was not necessary and that it was wrong. Therefore, my judgements must be based on what is right and necessary and not on what people say and do; I must judge not according to progress but according to my own heart.

To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!

Anything we decide to do or any outward expression of behavior will be consistent with what we believe.