Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain,
read more

Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain,
And make men giddy, proud, and vain.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

All authority must be out of a man's self, turned . . . either
upon an art, or upon read more

All authority must be out of a man's self, turned . . . either
upon an art, or upon a man.
- Francis Bacon,

Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.

Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of
death, I refuse not to die: read more

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of
death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things
whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I
appeal unto Caesar.

The faith that stand on authority is not faith.

The faith that stand on authority is not faith.

Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
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Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he's most assured
His glassy essence--like an angry ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens,
would all themselves laugh mortal.

All authority belongs to the people

All authority belongs to the people