{
  "id": 1464845,
  "title": "Quote of the day by Thomas Henry Huxley: 'The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without…'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/quote-of-the-day-by-thomas-henry-huxley-the-deepest-sin-against-the",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T10:05:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Mint",
    "slug": "live-mint",
    "url": "https://www.livemint.com/news/quote-of-the-day-by-thomas-henry-huxley-the-deepest-sin-against-the-human-mind-is-to-believe-things-without-11786951564858.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Thomas Henry Huxley, famously known as \"Darwin's Bulldog\", offered a profound reflection on the nature of belief in his 1893 Romanes Lecture, Evolution and Ethics. He cautioned against the \"deepest sin against the human mind\" - believing in something without any solid evidence. This line, often cited in discussions about critical thinking and scientific skepticism, underscores a fundamental principle: the human mind's power lies in its ability to reason based on evidence, and any belief devoid of such support is a moral failing.\n\nHuxley differentiated between believing without evidence being a mistake and it being a \"sin,\" emphasizing that a human's intellectual capacity is predicated on the ability to discern truth through evidence. He argued against the notion of absolute certainty, instead advocating for a proportional relationship between belief and evidence. Blindly accepting something as true simply because it is popular or widely held is a grave intellectual error. In today's era of rapid information dissemination, whether through social media, word of mouth, or traditional media, it is easy to fall prey to misinformation. The onus lies on each individual to question and verify claims rather than accepting them at face value.\n\nWhile the extreme stance of refusing to believe anything without evidence could lead to intellectual paralysis, Huxley's statement serves as a warning against not questioning claims at all. He cautioned against relying solely on the majority's belief, as this does not guarantee the truth. Skepticism should be directed towards beliefs we hold dear but should not be applied indiscriminately. Verification of claims is paramount, and this involves tracing back the source of information. While demanding evidence does not equate to disbelief, it is about striving for accurate belief. Doubt, when used constructively, can lead to enlightenment, and a mind that constantly seeks evidence is not being difficult but is engaged in the noble pursuit of truth.",
  "summary": "These words of Thomas Henry Huxley are about reason, scepticism and intellectual honesty, urging people to demand evidence before belief. Here's why it works as a rule for thinking clearly.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}