When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons.

Freedom of speech is unnecessary if the people to whom it is granted do not think for themselves.

For too many centuries women have been being muses to artists. I wanted to be the muse, I wanted to be the wife of the artist, but I was really trying to avoid the final issue — that I had to do the job myself.

Whenever we hear an opinion and believe it, we make an agreement, and it becomes part of our belief system.

I want to oppose the idea that the school has to teach directly that special knowledge and those accomplishments which one has to use later directly in life. The demands of life are much too manifold to let such a specialized training in school appear possible [...] The development of general ability for independent thinking and judgement should always be placed foremost.

The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.