A brass balance scale holding a gray cube on one pan and a pink cloud on the other against a teal background.

Original artwork, not a still

Thomas Jefferson

Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker holds that mistaken opinions are bearable as long as reason stays free to challenge them. The remedy for error is open argument rather than suppression. Falsehood is tolerable in this view because people remain able to test it and answer it.

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