Convictions

In Human, All Too Human (1878/ 2006), Nietzsche said, “Convictions are more dan- gerous enemies of truth than lies”. He defined conviction as the “belief in the possession of absolute truth on any matter of knowledge”. It is, according to Nietzsche, convictions that have caused countless humans to sacrifice themselves throughout history. In the realm of religion, convic- tions are common and are unchallengeable for those entertaining them because “to allow their belief to be wrested from them probably meant calling in question their eternal salvation”. Opinions are different because they are tentative, challenge- able, and easily modified in light of new informa- tion. In other words, convictions are thought to reflect Truth and opinions truth; convictions reflect certainty, opinions probability. It is, according to Nietzsche, convictions that cause fanaticism, not opinions.

It is not the struggle of opinions that has made history so turbulent; but the struggle of belief in opinions—that is to say, of convictions. If all those who thought so highly of their convictions, who made sacrifices of all kinds for them, and spared neither honour, body, nor life in their service, had only devoted half of their energy to examining their right to adhere to this or that conviction and by what road they arrived at it, how peace- able would the history of mankind now appear! How much more knowledge would there be!