Question

"There is a class of persons (happily not quite so numerous as formerly) who think it enough if a person assents undoubtingly to what they think true, though he has no knowledge whatever of the grounds of the opinion, and could not make a tenable defence of it against the most superficial objections. Such persons, if they can once get their creed taught from authority, naturally think that no good, and some harm, comes of its being allowed to be questioned. Where their influence prevails, they make it nearly impossible for the received opinion to be rejected wisely and considerately, though it may still be rejected rashly and ignorantly; for to shut out discussion entirely is seldom possible, and when it once gets in, beliefs not grounded on conviction are apt to give way before the slightest semblance of an argument. Waiving, however, this possibility — assuming that the true opinion abides in the mind, but abides as a prejudice, a belief independent of, and proof against, argument — this is not the way in which truth ought to be held by a rational being. This is not knowing the truth. Truth, thus held, is but one superstition the more, accidentally clinging to the words which enunciate a truth."Explain?

Answer 1

This passage is a famous quote by John Stuart Mill from his book On Liberty. On Liberty is one of the most remarkable defenses of freedom of speech in political thought.

Mill begins by telling us that many people hold opinions for which they have no facts or grounds to defend them, even against superficial objections. Therefore, these people are completely convinced of certain beliefs they in fact should not believe.

Moreover, he believes that these people generally think it a bad thing to question those beliefs, as they were taught by an authority who they consider more knowledgeable than themselves. Therefore, they are incapable of rejecting an opinion in a well-thought out way (as they do not usually consider things wisely), and instead, when they reject an idea they do so in a rash way.

This people might be mistaken in their opinions, or they might be correct. However, even when they are correct, this should not be called "truth." A "truth" that is known in this way is simply another type of prejudice or superstition, as the process through which it was obtained was not one of honest and open dialogue.