Quote by Bertrand Russell
If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.
Summary
This quote by philosopher Bertrand Russell illustrates the argument against blindly accepting unfalsifiable claims. Russell uses the example of a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars, too small to be detected by telescopes. He posits that, while one may not be able to disprove the existence of such a teapot, it would be irrational to affirm its existence solely based on the absence of evidence against it. Furthermore, Russell criticizes the idea that beliefs upheld by tradition or authority should be accepted without question, suggesting that skepticism and critical thinking should prevail even in the face of societal pressure.
Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.
Random Quotations
