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Full Idea
To believe without evidence is a weakness which every man is concerned to avoid, and which every man wishes to avoid.
Gist of Idea
People dislike believing without evidence, and try to avoid it
Source
Thomas Reid (Essays on Intellectual Powers 2: Senses [1785], 20)
Book Ref
Reid,Thomas: 'Inquiry and Essays', ed/tr. Beanblossom /K.Lehrer [Hackett 1983], p.199
A Reaction
It seems to be very common, though, for people to believe things on incredibly flimsy evidence, if they find the belief appealing. This is close to Clifford's Principle, but not quite as dogmatic.
Related Idea
Idea 6587 It is always wrong to believe things on insufficient evidence [Clifford]
6492 | Reid is seen as the main direct realist of the eighteenth century [Reid, by Robinson,H] |
23634 | Accepting the existence of anything presupposes the notion of existence [Reid] |
23635 | Truths are self-evident to sensible persons who understand them clearly without prejudice [Reid] |
23637 | Primary qualities are the object of mathematics [Reid] |
23638 | Secondary qualities conjure up, and are confused with, the sensations which produce them [Reid] |
23639 | It is unclear whether a toothache is in the mind or in the tooth, but the word has a single meaning [Reid] |
23640 | Only mature minds can distinguish the qualities of a body [Reid] |
23641 | People dislike believing without evidence, and try to avoid it [Reid] |
23642 | If non-rational evidence reaches us, it is reason which then makes use of it [Reid] |
7631 | Sensation is not committed to any external object, but perception is [Reid] |