A Liberal Decalogue - Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell, em sua Autobiografia(1951), propôs uma interessante

"nova forma" ou "novo jeito" provisório de "dever", não com a finalidade de contradizê-lo, contrapor-lo ou combatê-lo - o método cristão - , mas como o próprio não-convencional autor do mesmo diz, uma modalidade diversa para apenas "completá-lo".

Este "Decálogo Liberal" apareceu pela primeira vez no final do artigo "A melhor resposta ao fanatismo: Liberalismo" na New York Times Magazine (16/Dez/1951). Foi então incluído em The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell, vol. 3, 1944-1967.

Vou o deixar na versão íntegra em inglês, pois a compreensão do tal parece não gerar problemas, dada a autenticidade, simplicidade e clareza do decálogo. Para qualquer possível problema, o Google provavelmente o traduzirá em 1 segundo.

A Liberal Decalogue

1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.

2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.

3. Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.

4. When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.

5. Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.

6. Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.

7. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

8. Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent that in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.

9. Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.

10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.