It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!

It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!

I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.

I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race; posterity as read more

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.

Men commonly think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and imbibed opinions, but generally act according to read more

Men commonly think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and imbibed opinions, but generally act according to custom

It is just that we should be grateful, not only to those with whose views we may agree, but also read more

It is just that we should be grateful, not only to those with whose views we may agree, but also to those who have expressed more superficial views; for these also contributed something, by developing before us the powers of thought.

Opinions have vested interests just as men have.

Opinions have vested interests just as men have.

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

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

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, read more

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a wide-spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible

A fellow can't keep people from having a bad opinion of him, but he can keep them from being right read more

A fellow can't keep people from having a bad opinion of him, but he can keep them from being right about it.