Quotation
Last reviewed:
Every faith says it alone is true. Since they cannot all be right, test each claim by the reason God gave to all people.
Zera Yacob · Ethiopian rationalism · Early modern · 1667 (stated)
What does it mean?
When every side claims certainty, certainty is not evidence. What decides is a test anyone could run.
Did Zera Yacob really say this?
The library’s label is Summary. A restatement of his argument, not his sentence. The text's authorship is disputed: Conti Rossini (1920) argued for Giusto d'Urbino; Sumner and many recent scholars defend an Ethiopian author.
Where it comes from
Hatata, ch. 4–5, summary
Approximate date: 1667 (stated).
How to use it
Two neighbours in Glasgow swear by rival remedies. Ask what would show each one wrong, and look.
A mindset reading
Treat 'we are the true ones' as a claim to check, including when it is your side saying it.
Understand the philosophy
He wrote from the cave after a dispute between Orthodox and Catholic factions. The method grows out of that danger.
- knowledge
- mind
FAQ
What does it mean?
When every side claims certainty, certainty is not evidence. What decides is a test anyone could run.
Did Zera Yacob really say this?
Summary. A restatement of his argument, not his sentence. The text's authorship is disputed: Conti Rossini (1920) argued for Giusto d'Urbino; Sumner and many recent scholars defend an Ethiopian author.
Which work is it in?
Hatata, ch. 4–5, summary Approximate date: 1667 (stated).