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Voltaire: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities
The Socratic Method ^ | Unknown | Unknown

Posted on 03/17/2024 11:35:29 AM PDT by Jacquerie

In this blog article, we will explore the profound quote by Voltaire, "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." At its core, this quote serves as a sober reminder of the power of manipulation and the dire consequences it can have on individuals and society as a whole. Voltaire's words encapsulate the notion that when people are persuaded to accept and adopt absurd beliefs or ideas, they become vulnerable to committing acts of great cruelty or injustice.

This statement holds immense importance in our modern world, where manipulation is rampant, giving rise to extremism and oppressive ideologies. When we dissect this quote, it is crucial to recognize the correlation between belief and action. People's actions are often driven by the convictions they hold, and if those convictions are based on absurdities, the consequences can be devastating. History has shown countless examples of individuals who, under the influence of manipulation and false ideologies, have perpetrated horrific acts against their fellow human beings. It is not the mind itself that should be blamed, but rather the twisted minds that manipulate and exploit it.

While the meaning and significance of Voltaire's quote are inherently thought-provoking, let us now introduce an unexpected philosophical concept that adds further interest to our exploration. The concept of moral absolutism versus moral relativism invites us to question the very foundation of right and wrong. These two philosophical approaches offer contrasting perspectives on ethical judgments and provide differing frameworks for evaluating human behavior.

Moral absolutism asserts that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of the circumstances or cultural context. This view maintains that there are objective moral principles that exist universally and should guide human conduct. In contrast, moral relativism suggests that ethical judgments are subjective and depend on cultural, societal, or individual perspectives. According to this perspective, what is considered right or wrong can vary across different cultures and times.

When we align Voltaire's quote with the concept of moral relativism, the connection becomes even more evident. The manipulation discussed in the quote can exploit varying moral frameworks, depending on the beliefs and values instilled in individuals or communities. This manipulation can take advantage of the relativistic nature of ethical judgments, blurring the line between rationality and absurdity, leading people down a path of atrocities.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: philosophy; voltaire
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To: Jacquerie

It’s not just Dems, though, is it...


21 posted on 03/18/2024 5:17:10 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: PJ-Comix

Deep State.

The cabal we call Deep State.

The people who orchestrated the steal, installed the POTATUS, now have control of Congress, the SCOTUS, and the bureaucracy.

Deep State.


22 posted on 03/18/2024 5:19:52 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: mewzilla
Deep State.

The cabal we call Deep State.

The people who orchestrated the steal, installed the POTATUS, now have control of Congress, the SCOTUS, and the bureaucracy.

Deep State.

And this is related to "KHAZARIANS" how? Oh, and please don't whine again over being asked to provide... PROOF.

23 posted on 03/18/2024 7:57:56 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

Do you know who’s running the country...?

(crickets)

Nuff said.


24 posted on 03/18/2024 7:59:21 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: mewzilla
Do you know who’s running the country...?

(crickets)

Nuff said.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That's it? That's your "proof" that "Khazarians" run the country? Hey, this sounds like fun! I'll do the same IDIOCY for laughs. Ready?

Do you know the earth is flat...?

(crickets)

Nuff said.

25 posted on 03/18/2024 8:17:29 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

I don’t like your aggressive attitude.

Besides, how can you demand sources from me when you’ve produced none yourself?


26 posted on 03/18/2024 5:21:17 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: reasonisfaith
I don’t like your aggressive attitude.

Sniff! Your severe chastisement has shattered me as a person.

Besides, how can you demand sources from me when you’ve produced none yourself?

Unlike you I actually do have lots of evidence starting with this from the National Library of Medicine:

No evidence from genome-wide data of a Khazar origin for the Ashkenazi Jews

27 posted on 03/18/2024 8:10:22 PM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

Are you aware that when your opinions are derived from an untrustworthy source, then your opinions themselves are in question?


28 posted on 03/20/2024 11:43:48 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: reasonisfaith
Are you aware that when your opinions are derived from an untrustworthy source, then your opinions themselves are in question?

And what is this "untrustworthy source" to which you refer, Grasshopper?

p.s. I've got other sources so are you just going to write them all off as "untrustworthy" without giving details? Nice shtick if you want to AVOID inconvenient facts.

29 posted on 03/20/2024 12:22:40 PM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

When I was very young, I saw the Francis Bacon quote, “Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.”

Seeing this quote was a pivotal event in my life, because in contradicting the conventional and false assumption that we simply prefer to believe what’s true, it illustrated the need to seek objective truth over my emotional preference.

I haven’t always succeeded. And sometimes objective truth is the same as my emotional preference.

My point here is that if what you tell me is true, then I want to believe it.


30 posted on 03/20/2024 4:47:04 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: reasonisfaith
When I was very young, I saw the Francis Bacon quote, “Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.”

Seeing this quote was a pivotal event in my life, because in contradicting the conventional and false assumption that we simply prefer to believe what’s true, it illustrated the need to seek objective truth over my emotional preference.

I haven’t always succeeded. And sometimes objective truth is the same as my emotional preference.

My point here is that if what you tell me is true, then I want to believe it.

So does this mean you are going to drop the whole ridiculous "Khazarian" shtick based on no EVIDENCE other than what you want to believe? Or are you going to continue to push your little obsession? Perhaps this could be a good time for self-enlightenment, Grasshopper.

31 posted on 03/20/2024 5:47:39 PM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

I’d like to give you credit for having a justified, true belief in what you’re asserting here, but the problem we have is that what you’re saying doesn’t seem to have merit.


32 posted on 03/21/2024 7:42:00 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: PJ-Comix

One of the best ways to find out what’s true these days is to see what the “fact checkers” say about it.

Then conclude the opposite.


33 posted on 03/21/2024 7:43:19 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: PJ-Comix

I’ve always believed the Jewish people to be the descendants of Abraham, who made a covenant with Almighty God, who created everything and gave us life and the chance for salvation.

I’ve never believed the Khazars to be the descendants of Abraham.


34 posted on 03/21/2024 7:51:03 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: reasonisfaith
I’d like to give you credit for having a justified, true belief in what you’re asserting here, but the problem we have is that what you’re saying doesn’t seem to have merit.

Here's how it works with Mr. ReasonIsGone: He demands proof. Proof is presented. Then without even checking it out he claims the proof doesn't seem to have merit because it contradicts his fact-challenged obsession.

And now you know why he is Mr. ReasonIsGone.

35 posted on 03/21/2024 7:56:03 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

You don’t know the meaning of the word “proof.”


36 posted on 03/21/2024 7:58:25 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: reasonisfaith
You don’t know the meaning of the word “proof.”

Here is the reply of Mr. ReasonIsGone to my Post #27 above in which I presented a link to the National Liberary of Medicine.

Are you aware that when your opinions are derived from an untrustworthy source, then your opinions themselves are in question?

IOW, my mind is already made up so please don't present FACTS that contradict my absurd obsessions.

37 posted on 03/21/2024 8:20:39 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Yes, I am the Toxic Troll Terminator)
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To: PJ-Comix

The National Library of Medicine is not how you prove something to be true or false.


38 posted on 03/21/2024 8:22:17 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: PJ-Comix

In the National Library of Medicine, you will find a combination of truth and falsehood.


39 posted on 03/21/2024 8:31:46 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: yesthatjallen

.


40 posted on 03/21/2024 8:34:31 AM PDT by sauropod (Ne supra crepidam.)
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