74. II. Arguments from Authority. -- In many circumstances of practical life men allow themselves to be guided by others, and they obey arguments from authority.

The affirmation of an authority may bear upon a fact or upon a doctrine; in either case its logical value is probability. It is certain that a legitimate tendency inclines us to place reliance in a general way on the exactitude and sincerity of our fellow-men. Nevertheless, confidence in the statement of another cannot reasonably be absolute. A man who had never before lacked prudence and circumspection in his observation of external facts might, in this one instance, have acted inconsiderately. An habitually sincere man may have lied in this case.

In each particular case the argument from authority has its value; but no human testimony justifies absolute certainty.

In a doctrinal affirmation, St. Thomas does not hesitate to declare, the argument from authority is the weakest of all: "Locus ab auctoritate, quae fundatur super ratione humana, est infirmissimus."

This declaration is a crushing answer for those superficial minds who would make Scholasticism an abdication of the personal reason in favor of authority.