"The true triumph of reason is that it enables us to get along with those who do not possess it"

Voltaire’s words suggest a nuanced appreciation of reason’s place in social life. Reason is commonly elevated as humanity’s highest attribute, the engine of science and justice. However, its highest victory is not merely in logic puzzles or rational debate, but in the art of coexistence. Rationality, when confined to abstract thought, serves only those able or willing to think in its terms. The real test arises in interactions with people who act irrationally, cling to superstition, or disregard reasoned arguments.

To “get along with those who do not possess” reason may first appear faintly condescending, as though some humans belong to a lesser class of thinking. But Voltaire’s point is not about superiority; it is about forbearance. Everyone, at times, is unreasonable. Emotional biases, cultural differences, habits of mind all distort pure reason. If the rational person can maintain civility, empathy, compromise, and peace even with those unlike themselves, then rationality has achieved something beyond logic: it becomes a force for social harmony.

Navigating daily life demands more than intellectual analysis. When confronted by obstinacy or narrow-mindedness, a person guided by reason can choose tolerance over frustration, persuasion over scorn. This triumph is not obedience to cold logic, but the deliberate application of reason to foster community and understanding, even in imperfection. Rationality thus transcends the individual, becoming a tool for bridging divides. Instead of using reason as a weapon, it is wielded as a means to coexist.

By locating reason’s ultimate “triumph” here, Voltaire points toward rationality animated by humility, adaptability, and a respect for the complexity of human nature. The resilience to engage generously with others, regardless of their logical faculties, reveals a deeper wisdom: human society endures not because everyone always reasons well, but because some manage to get along even when reason fails.