Herbert Spencer Didn’t Write It?
August 26, 2006 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Oh No!
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance – that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”
- Herbert Spencer
That’s the way it looks on page 568 of the Big Book. Well, apparently, Herbert Spencer didn’t write it!
Check out the AA Bibliography who has pointed to The Survival of a Fitting Quotation By Michael St George and says;
“Michael St George A genealogist has authored an article that traces the history of the ‘contempt prior to investigation’ quote that has long been attributed to Herbert Spencer. His interest in the article came from a completely different academic angle than that of we A.A. historians. His article can be viewed at the following link:”
There, we find that Michael says “It is derived from a Christian apologetic work by the 18th century British theologian William Paley. The variations of wording that have come down through the past two centuries only bear a skeletal resemblance to Paley’s original meaning and form.”
Doesn’t make any diff. to me – would it to you? 
Certainly is an interesting read though. Check it out… there is a downloadable pdf at the site.
I thought William Paley was the former president of CBS. Damn, I knew he was old, but the 18th century?
I am not much of a historian. As I have said I am an almost instant forgetter so remembering names, dates etc. is almost pointless.
I do enjoy reading about it none the less
I agree that it doesn’t matter if we have wrongly quoted him (except that he deserves proper credit, when due), but that we understand the important role that personal prejudice or limiting belief have in keeping us ignorant and therefore subject to erroneous assumptions about “the way things are.” The idea of questioning before we accept something as true, is essential if we are to move from a place of dogma and ignorance and learn whatever is necessary, either to stay addiction free, or to enjoy happiness, as Paley had also said. The idea of the purpose of man being happy, originated with Gottfreid Libniz, a European Republican who Ben Franklin consulted, and who was later suppressed by the Brits. He is author of the phrase, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” found in our Declaration of Independence. Most don’t bother to study history, which is a tragic loss. Otherwise, we end up living in a fishbowl and miss out on all the real joy of forwarding our own consciousness.
RBlair / Oregon
Conversation… simply conversation. Passing information along in the interest of conversation.
What would we do without conversation?
Of course it matters. This is a program of honesty. If the citation is incorrect it should be removed, even at this late date. Why not include the words without the spurious attribution?