John Locke Quotes About Opinions

Quotes about: Opinions

• New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.

  John Locke

  Business, Philosophy, War

  An Essay Concerning Human Understanding "Dedicatory Epistle" (1690)

• For where is the man that has incontestable evidence of the truth of all that he holds, or of the falsehood of all he condemns; or can say that he has examined to the bottom all his own, or other men's opinions? The necessity of believing without knowledge, nay often upon very slight grounds, in this fleeting state of action and blindness we are in, should make us more busy and careful to inform ourselves than constrain others.

  John Locke

  Believe, Men, Fleeting

  John Locke (1836). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, p.505

• In my opinion, understanding who your target audience is, and what they want, and writing to them (and only them!) is the most important component of being successful as an author.

  John Locke

  Book, Writing, Successful

• In all things, therefore, where we have clear evidence from our ideas, and those principles of knowledge I have above mentioned, reason is the proper judge; and revelation, though it may, in consenting with it, confirm its dictates, yet cannot in such cases invalidate its decrees: nor can we be obliged, where we have the clear and evident sentience of reason, to quit it for the contrary opinion, under a pretence that it is matter of faith: which can have no authority against the plain and clear dictates of reason.

  John Locke

  Faith, Ideas, Judging

  John Locke (1836). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, p.530

• It is therefore worthwhile, to search out the bounds between opinion and knowledge; and examine by what measures, in things, whereof we have no certain knowledge, we ought to regulate our assent, and moderate our persuasions.

  John Locke

  Opinion, Persuasion, Certain Knowledge

  John Locke (1996). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, p.5, Hackett Publishing

• Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it: but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within.

  John Locke

  Thinking, Men, Judging

  John Locke (1840*). “The Conduct of the Understanding; By John Locke ... Essays, Moral, Economical, and Political; by Francis Bacon”, p.130

• Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption: therefore, always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change.

  John Locke

  Moving, Together, Variables

  John Locke (1840*). “The Conduct of the Understanding; By John Locke ... Essays, Moral, Economical, and Political; by Francis Bacon”, p.132

• I do not say this, that I think there should be no difference of opinions in conversation, nor opposition in men's discourses... 'Tis not the owning one's dissent from another, that I speak against, but the manner of doing it.

  John Locke

  Men, Thinking, Differences

  John Locke, George Berkeley (2010). “Locke, Berkely & Hume”, p.134, Cosimo, Inc.

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