Trying to silence a person speaks.

It is absurd to hold that a man ought to be ashamed of being unable to defend himself with his limbs, but not of being unable to defend himself with speech and reason.

The world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.

We know how to speak many falsehoods which resemble real things, but we know, when we will, how to speak true things.

Speech is civilization itself. The word, even the most contradictory word, preserves contact—it is silence which isolates.

The truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is dull without it.

The only way to make sure people you agree with can speak is to support the rights of people you don’t agree with.

If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.

All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.

If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.

Plato is my friend; Aristotle is my friend, but my greatest friend is truth.

When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.