The greatest danger we face is not any particular kind of thought. The greatest danger we face is absence of thought.

The justification and the purpose of freedom of speech is not to indulge those who want to speak their minds. It is to prevent error and discover truth. There may be other ways of detecting error and discovering truth than that of free discussion, but so far we have not found them.

And we wonder what can be that 'philosophy of education' which believes that young people can be trained to the duties of citizenship by wrapping their minds in cotton wool.

The American people...have a stake in non-conformity. For they know that the American genius is non-conformist.

In the long run [censorship] will create a generation incapable of appreciating the difference between independence of thought and subservience.

Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive.

Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.