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Freethought

Not to be confused with freedom of thought or free will.
For other uses, see Free thought (disambiguation).

Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought)[1][2][3] is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and should instead be reached by other methods such as logic, reason, and empirical observation.

According to the Collins English Dictionary, a freethinker is "One who is mentally free from the conventional bonds of tradition or dogma, and thinks independently." In some contemporary thought in particular, free thought is strongly tied with rejection of traditional social or religious belief systems.[4][3][5] The cognitive application of free thought is known as "freethinking", and practitioners of free thought are known as "freethinkers".[3] Modern freethinkers consider free thought to be a natural freedom from all negative and illusive thoughts acquired from society.[6]

The term first came into use in the 17th century in order to refer to people who inquired into the basis of traditional beliefs which were often accepted unquestioningly. Today, freethinking is most closely linked with deism, secularism, humanism, anti-clericalism, and religious critique.[7] The Oxford English Dictionary defines freethinking as, "The free exercise of reason in matters of religious belief, unrestrained by deference to authority; the adoption of the principles of a free-thinker." Freethinkers hold that knowledge should be grounded in facts, scientific inquiry, and logic. The skeptical application of science implies freedom from the intellectually limiting effects of confirmation bias, cognitive bias, conventional wisdom, popular culture, urban myth, prejudice, or sectarianism.[8]

Freemasonry served an important purpose in the spreading of the freethinking movement, Freemason lodges in 18th century Europe served as sites for enlightenment thinking and discussion of new ideas, helping spread freethought philosophies. The informal, secretive nature of the lodges allowed intellectuals and elites to gather and debate radical topics away from the scrutiny of church and state.[9]

  1. ^ "What is Freethought?". Freethought Lebanon. 2017-09-23. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  2. ^ "Free thought – Definition of free thought by Merriam-Webster". Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Freethinker – Definition of freethinker by Merriam-Webster". Archived from the original on 24 April 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  4. ^ "FREETHINKER definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary".
  5. ^ "Glossary | International Humanist and Ethical Union". Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  6. ^ "Nontracts". Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "The Saga of Freethought and Its Pioneers: Religious Critique and Social Reform". American Humanist Association. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  8. ^ "who are the Freethinkers?". Freethinkers.com. 2018-02-13. Archived from the original on 2020-08-01. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  9. ^ Fitzpatrick, M.; Jones, P.; Knellwolf, C.; McCalman, I. (2004). The Enlightenment World. Routledge.