"Namely, we have no right to believe a thing true because everybody says so unless there are good grounds for believing that some one person at least has the means of knowing what is true, and is speaking the truth so far as he knows it"
- William Kingdon Clifford
About this Quote
This quote by William Kingdon Clifford is highlighting the importance of evidence and knowledge when it comes to thinking something to be real. He is recommending that we must not simply accept something as real just because everyone else is stating it, but rather that we need to look for proof and knowledge to back up the claim. He is recommending that we should search for someone who has the ways of knowing what is true and is speaking the truth as far as they understand it. This quote is a pointer that we ought to not take things at face value, however rather that we ought to search for evidence and knowledge to back up any claims that we hear. It is a pointer that we should be important and critical when it concerns thinking something to be real.