Quote Of The Day By John Locke: 'It Is One Thing To Show A Man That He Is In Error, And Another To...'

John Locke remains one of history's most well-known philosophers, and his way of thinking made way for both the Enlightenment and the creation of liberalism. Born in Wrington, Somerset, in 1632, Locke was a student and teacher before becoming a physician, and later, a minister. Locke produced many major writings over the course of his life, sharing his revolutionary thoughts on politics, government, and the human mind.

Locke was passionate about the human right to "life, liberty, and estate." Many of his beliefs also hinged on the idea that science should be used to discover the truth, and that, to learn something, one must use their own ability to take in facts and details about the world around them. 

Locke had a unique perspective on the human mind and how it truly learns. That's why Locke's wise words on how to break this vicious cycle are today's quote of the day.

"It is one thing to show a man that he is in error, and another to put him in possession of truth." This bit of wisdom comes from Locke's famous 1690 text, "An Essay concerning Human Understanding." This essay became an important philosophical text and was foundational to the empirical theory of knowledge. In it, Locke discussed that the mind is like a blank canvas upon which all knowledge must be built using one's senses, combined with critical thought. One element of this way of thinking is the notion that simply knowing your way of thinking is wrong is much different than knowing what's right.

When someone holds a belief you know is incorrect, the idea of discrediting their notion is tempting. Yet this isn't really the way to course-correct someone's thought process. Simply telling them they are wrong won't automatically lead them to the correct answer. Telling them why the thought is incorrect and which concept is right is key to really changing someone's mind.

As a philosopher and teacher, it's easy to imagine how frequently John Locke found himself working to change someone's view on something. Since he believed that the human mind begins with nothing and must absorb information sensorially and analyze it in order to learn, Locke likely found it critical to set someone straight when they made assumptions without evidence. Today, the world is particularly divided, and people often have differing views that are accompanied by quite a bit of passion. Yet, to help someone see the error of their thoughts, simply calling them out as wrong won't accomplish the goal. Instead, showing someone evidence of the truth and explaining what is right is the way to guide them.

• "Revolt is the right of the people"
• "So that, in effect, religion, which should most distinguish us from beasts, and ought most peculiarly to elevate us, as rational creatures, above brutes, is that wherein men often appear most irrational, and more senseless than beasts themselves."
• "Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves poison the fountain."
• "Few men think, yet all will have opinions. Hence men's opinions are superficial and confused."
• "New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common."