Thomas Reid quotes

There is no greater impediment to the advancement of knowledge than the ambiguity of words. (Thomas Reid)
The rules of navigation never navigated a ship. The rules of architecture never built a house.
Thomas Reid
Every indication of wisdom, taken from the effect, is equally an indication of power to execute what wisdom planned.
Thomas Reid
A philosopher is, no doubt, entitled to examine even those distinctions that are to be found in the structure of all languages... in that case, such a distinction may be imputed to a vulgar error, which ought to be corrected in philosophy.
Thomas Reid
And, if we have any evidence that the wisdom which formed the plan is in the man, we have the very same evidence, that the power which executed it is in him also.
Thomas Reid
It is a question of fact, whether the influence of motives be fixed by laws of nature, so that they shall always have the same effect in the same circumstances.
Thomas Reid
Every conjecture we can form with regard to the works of God has as little probability as the conjectures of a child with regard to the works of an adult.
Thomas Reid
I wanted to be a part of the downtown renaissance.
Thomas Reid
I confess I know not what a sceptic can answer to this, nor by what good argument he can plead even for a hearing; for either his reasoning is sophistry, and so deserves contempt; or there is no truth in the human faculties, and then why should we reason?
Thomas Reid
For, until the wisdom of men bear some proportion to the wisdom of God, their attempts to find out the structure of his works, by the force of their wit and genius, will be vain.
Thomas Reid
Every theory in philosophy, which is built on pure conjecture, is an elephant; and every theory that is supported partly by fact, and partly by conjecture, is like Nebuchadnezzar's image, whose feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay. (Thomas Reid)