Stupidity is sometimes the greatest of historical forces. Sidney Hook More Quotes by Sidney Hook More Quotes From Sidney Hook Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system. Sidney Hook teaching education teacher Tolerance always has limits - it cannot tolerate what is itself actively intolerant. Sidney Hook hook tolerance limits To silence criticism is to silence freedom. Sidney Hook liberty silence criticism The easiest rationalization for the refusal to seek the truth is the denial that truth exists. Sidney Hook denial truth-is interesting Before impugning an opponent's motives, even when they legitimately may be impugned, answer his arguments. Sidney Hook opponents answers may In contrast to totalitarianism, democracy can face and live with the truth about itself. Sidney Hook contrast democracy faces Fear of death has been the greatest ally of tyranny past and present. Sidney Hook inspirational death past To serve the public interest is not the same as being a servant of public opinion. Sidney Hook servant public-opinion interest A liberal education will impart an awareness of the amazing and precious complexity of human relationships. Since those relationships are violated more often out of insensitiveness than out of deliberate intent, whatever increases sensitiveness of perception and understanding humanizes life. Sidney Hook awareness understanding perception I was guilty of judging capitalism by its operations and socialism by its hopes and aspirations; capitalism by its works and socialism by its literature. Sidney Hook liberty society judging Students rarely disappoint teachers who assure them in advance that they are doomed to failure. Sidney Hook hook fate teacher Nonetheless, it still remains true that as a set of cognitive beliefs, religious doctrines constitute a speculative hypothesis of an extremely low order of probability. Sidney Hook atheist religious order The difference between science and religion is that the former wishes to get rid of mysteries whereas the latter worships them. Sidney Hook differences wish science No one who accepts the sovereignty of truth can be a foot soldier in a party or movement. He will always find himself out of step. Sidney Hook party soldier feet One of the central assumptions of the concept of democracy, perhaps its most central assumption, is that by and large human beings are better judges of their own interests.... The operating maxim of the democratic ideology is, "Whoever wears the shoe knows best where it pinches. Sidney Hook shoes power judging Religious tolerance has developed more as a consequence of the impotence of religions to impose their dogmas on each other than as a consequence of spiritual humility in the quest for understanding first and last things. Sidney Hook humility religious spiritual Everyone recognizes a distinction between knowledge and wisdom. . . Wisdom is a kind of knowledge. It is knowledge of the nature, career, and consequences of human values. Since these cannot be separated from the human organism and the social scene, the moral ways of man cannot be understood without knowledge of the ways of things and institutions. Sidney Hook careers men way Life has meaning for anyone who takes an interest in it. Sidney Hook interest The next time anyone asks you "What is Bertrand Russell's philosophy?" the correct answer is "What year, please?" Sidney Hook philosophy years art Idealism, alas, does not protect one from ignorance, dogmatism, and foolishness. Sidney Hook hook ignorance doe
