William K. Clifford
It is wrong always, everywhere, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.
Life
British mathematician and philosopher (1845-1879), professor at University College London, who died at 33 of tuberculosis. His essay "The Ethics of Belief" (1877) argues that believing on insufficient evidence is a moral fault, since our beliefs affect others. It became the reference point of debates on faith and reason.
Main works
It is wrong to believe on insufficient evidence, because belief belongs to humanity.
Posthumous collection of his philosophical and scientific texts.
Introduction to the ideas of geometry and mathematics.
In his own words
« To sum up: it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. »
« The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous, and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them »
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceBeliefs must rest on observed evidence and the testimony of the many, not on private conviction.
Clifford, The Ethics of Belief (1877)
Matter itself is made of simple 'mind-stuff': a form of panpsychism, not ordinary materialism.
Clifford, On the Nature of Things-in-Themselves (1878)
It is wrong always, everywhere, to believe anything on insufficient evidence: evidence must judge every belief, religious ones included.
Clifford, The Ethics of Belief (1877)