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He never states as a fact that of which he is not sure.
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“He never states as a fact that of which he is not sure.”

William George Jordan

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Source
The Power of Truth: Individual Problems and Possibilities
Date
1902
Meaning

Meaning of “He never states as a fact that of…”

Intellectual honesty includes marking uncertainty rather than upgrading a guess into a fact, a habit that makes speech more reliable and accountable.

Source context

Where does it come from?

The Power of Truth, opening chapter, Project Gutenberg #56020; Jordan describes the speech of a person committed to truthfulness.

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Themes

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CommunicationHonestyIntegrityResponsibilityShortThinking Quotes About Reasoning, Reflection & JudgmentTruthDoubtReason
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The liar is no whit better than the thief.
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“The liar is no whit better than the thief.”

Theodore Roosevelt · The Man with the Muck-Rake · 1906
Meaning & context

Roosevelt argues that criticism loses moral legitimacy when it becomes false, making truthfulness a constraint on reform even when the target of criticism may deserve scrutiny.

Source details

The Man with the Muck-Rake, April 14, 1906. Roosevelt is discussing public criticism, journalism and slander; the surrounding speech simultaneously calls for relentless exposure of genuine wrongdoing when the attack is truthful.

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A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.
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“A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.”

Aesop · Aesop’s Fables — The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf · Traditional
Voice: Fictional character · Wise man of the village
Meaning & context

Repeated deception damages credibility beyond the original lie: once listeners have learned to expect false alarms, even a later truthful warning can fail to restore belief in time.

Source details

Joseph Jacobs, The Fables of Aesop, “The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf,” Project Gutenberg #28. The wise man of the village gives the moral after the boy’s repeated false cries cause the villagers to ignore his real warning.

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There is a vital difference between error and untruthfulness.
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“There is a vital difference between error and untruthfulness.”

William George Jordan · The Power of Truth: Individual Problems and Possibilities · 1902
Meaning & context

Being mistaken is separated from intentional falsehood, which allows honest uncertainty and correction without confusing every factual error with deceit.

Source details

The Power of Truth, opening chapter, Project Gutenberg #56020; Jordan distinguishes sincere error from deliberate untruthfulness.

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It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil
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“It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil”

Helen Keller · Optimism: An Essay · 1903
Meaning & context

Keller explicitly rejects an optimism that refuses to see harm, making clear-eyed attention to difficult facts part of her constructive outlook.

Source details

Optimism: An Essay (1903), Project Gutenberg #31622. The following paragraph calls ignorant or indifferent optimism dangerous and false.

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speak the speech of honor.
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“speak the speech of honor.”

Charles Wagner · The Simple Life · 1901
Meaning & context

Honorable speech is presented as expression that can be trusted because it does not depend on concealment, manipulation or a second hidden meaning.

Source details

The Simple Life, Chapter IV, “Simplicity of Speech,” Mary Louise Hendee translation, Project Gutenberg #23092; Wagner contrasts honorable speech with duplicity.

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think justly, speak frankly.
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“think justly, speak frankly.”

Charles Wagner · The Simple Life · 1901
Meaning & context

The paired verbs connect sound judgment with direct expression: clear communication should follow an effort to think fairly and say what is meant.

Source details

The Simple Life, Chapter IV, “Simplicity of Speech,” Mary Louise Hendee translation, Project Gutenberg #23092; Wagner joins just thought with frank speech.

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