The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence. - Thomas Henry Huxley

Hello, I am Thomas Henry Huxley, a scientist and advocate for reason and critical thinking. Let me share with you a principle that has guided my life and work: "The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence." When I first expressed this idea, it was in the context of the 19th-century struggle between science and superstition. It was a time when humanity’s understanding of the world was advancing rapidly, yet many clung to ideas unsupported by evidence, driven instead by tradition, authority, or fear. I saw this as not just an intellectual failing but a moral one—because the human mind, capable of reason and inquiry, should not be shackled by ignorance or dogma. Believing without evidence undermines the very foundation of knowledge. It is to surrender our ability to question, to explore, and to understand. It blinds us to truth and leaves us vulnerable to manipulation. During my time, the scientific method—built on observation, experimentation, and evidence—emerged as the antidote to this dangerous tendency. It showed us that progress comes not from accepting ideas blindly but from subjecting them to scrutiny.