Richard Whately
Richard Whately
Richard Whatelywas an English rhetorician, logician, economist, academic and theologian who also served as a reforming Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. He was a leading Broad Churchman, a prolific and combative author over a wide range of topics, a flamboyant character, and one of the first reviewers to recognise the talents of Jane Austen...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth1 February 1787
use coins ethical
Ethical maxims are bandied about as a sort of current coin of discourse, and, being never melted down for use, those that are of base metal are never detected.
argument conviction discussion
He that is not open to conviction is not qualified for discussion.
bible sight use
As the telescope is not a substitute for, but an aid to, our sight, so revelation is not designed to supersede the use of reason, but to supply its deficiencies.
spiritual celibacy advantage
Even supposing there were some spiritual advantage in celibacy, it ought to be completely voluntary.
gambling desire profit
All gaming, since it implies a desire to profit at the expense of another, involves a breach of the tenth commandment.
men self glasses
Do you want to know the man against whom you have most reason to guard yourself? Your looking-glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face.
safe suspects self-examination
Though not always called upon to condemn ourselves, it is always safe to suspect ourselves.
good-man moral manners
Good manners are a part of good morals.
men divine-wisdom interesting
Man, considered not merely as an organized being, but as a rational agent and a member of society, is perhaps the most wonderfully contrived, and to us the most interesting specimen of Divine wisdom that we have any knowledge of.
may opinion stereotype
We may print, but not stereotype, our opinions.
laughing matter
Happiness is no laughing matter.
understanding three conviction
The word of knowledge, strictly employed, implies three things: truth, proof, and conviction.
order erring imperfect
To follow imperfect, uncertain, or corrupted traditions, in order to avoid erring in our own judgment, is but to exchange one danger for another.
abuse rebuilding revolution
The best security against revolution is in constant correction of abuses and the introduction of needed improvements. It is the neglect of timely repair that makes rebuilding necessary.