Voltaire shows how believing in absurdities can lead to atrocities – a call for critical thinking and seeking truth.
“He who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
Voltaire
Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet, was an 18th-century French philosopher, writer, and Enlightenment thinker known for his wit and advocacy of freedom of speech and tolerance.
This quote reminds us how dangerous accepting irrationality can be – it can pave the way to terrible actions. Since Richard Dawkins' *The God Delusion* (2007) and Steven Pinker's *The Violence: A New History of Humankind* (2011), the English phrase "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" has also been widely used in German. In this or a similar form, the English version has been attributed to Voltaire since the 19th century – usually without precise source attribution. This is based on the... "qui est en droit de vous rendre absurde est en droit de vous rendre injuste" from Voltaire's Questions sur les miracles, 11th letter (1765), 1777 books.google, 1784 Google Books, which instead of "atrocities" only speaks of injustice.
Translation or original: 🇩🇪Click here
Quelle: Hier klicken
i
François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), better known by his pen name Voltaire, was a leading figure of the Enlightenment. His works include philosophy, plays, essays, and letters. Voltaire passionately defended human rights, criticized religion, and advocated freedom of expression, making him a pivotal figure in European intellectual history.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!