282 Quotes About Freedom-of-thought

Freedom, freedom and freedom, that should be the mantra for the civilized, conscientious and progressive humanity - freedom from bigotry, freedom from prejudices and hatred - freedom from intellectual blindness as well as orthodox stupidity.

[H]as it really been so long since religions persecuted people, burning them as heretics, drowning them as witches, that you can't recognize religious persecution when you see it?"[1,000 Days 'Trapped Inside a Metaphor' (Columbia University / The New York Times, December 12, 1991)]

Human beings possess the gift of personal freedom and liberty of the mind. We each possess the sovereignty over the body and mind to define ourselves and embrace the values that we wish to exemplify. Personal autonomy enables humans to take independent action and use reason to establish moral values. We are part of nature. Consciousness, human cognition, and awareness of our own mortality allow us to script an independent survival reality and not merely react to environmental forces.

Not having to force yourself to love or hate, is liberating.

The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.

Cram them full of non-combustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information. Then they’ll feel they’re thinking, they’ll get a sense of motion without moving. And they’ll be happy, because facts of that sort don’t change. Don’t give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.

You can hardly realize the essence of my ideas, if you try to comprehend them in terms of what your society has taught you. To understand me, you must first be free, and start off in an investigative journey with me, like a naïve newborn with no preconceived idea about anything whatsoever.

I have very strong opinions and don’t want to give them up.. That’s your problem! You’ll be screwed up by those who have the same opinions as you and by those who have the opposite opinions.

Someone tweeted a quote of mine yesterday, and got abused so much for posting it they deleted it. Any doubts free speech is under attack everywhere now vanished for me right there. The crushing of my words in another's mouth left me speechless. Words, and the freedom to express them, are getting torched on a bonfire of inanities. Then the chilling hand of déjà vu claps us on the back and tells us not to concern ourselves with independent thought.