"But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint"
- Edmund Burke
About this Quote
This quote by Edmund Burke talks to the value of knowledge and virtue in the pursuit of liberty. Burke argues that without knowledge and virtue, liberty is the best of all possible evils. He suggests that without wisdom and virtue, liberty is absolutely nothing more than recklessness, vice, and madness, with no guidance or control. Burke's words emphasize the requirement for knowledge and virtue in order to take advantage of liberty. Without knowledge and virtue, liberty can end up being a destructive force, leading to mayhem and disorder. Burke's words remind us that liberty is not an end in itself, but rather a way to an end. Liberty should be utilized responsibly and with knowledge and virtue in order to be useful.
"Raising children is an incredibly hard and risky business in which no cumulative wisdom is gained: each generation repeats the mistakes the previous one made"
