“The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:1- Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.2- Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.3- Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.4- When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.5- Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.6- Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.7- Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.8- Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.9- Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.10- Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.”

“Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.”

“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”

“If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do.”

“Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.”

“Just remember: other people’s opinions are simply that—other people’s opinions. They are not fact, and they are certainly not “the truth.” It is your responsibility to question the authority you give others, to question opinions they want you to adopt as your own, and to question how it is they are observing the world themselves that has them seeing things as they do. Sometimes you need to take back the authority you are giving to the opinions of others and place a bit more trust in yourself.”

“Whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.”