On the recordJanuary 1, 1791
It is not originally a thing of itself, but is only the absence of knowledge; and though man may be kept ignorant, he cannot be made ignorant.
Said by
Thomas Paine
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gutenberg.orgThomas Paine: “It is not originally a thing of itself, but is only the absence of knowledge; and though man may be kept ignorant, he…”
Editor's note · Context
From "Rights of Man," this passage defines ignorance as the absence of knowledge, stating that while people can be kept ignorant, they cannot be forced back into ignorance once enlightened.
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