Question Authority
Encyclopedia
"Question authority" is a popular bumper sticker
slogan
which first appeared in the late 1970s, and a common graffiti
slogan. It is intended to encourage people to avoid [fallacious] appeals to authority
.
The origin of the phrase is sometimes attributed to Timothy Leary
. Enlightenment
polymath Benjamin Franklin
was often quoted as saying "it is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority".
The term can also be read humorously as a noun phrase signifying "someone who is an authority on the subject of questions".
Bumper sticker
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants of other vehicles - although they are often stuck onto other objects...
slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
which first appeared in the late 1970s, and a common graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
slogan. It is intended to encourage people to avoid [fallacious] appeals to authority
Argument from authority
Argument from authority is a special type of inductive argument which often takes the form of a statistical syllogism....
.
The origin of the phrase is sometimes attributed to Timothy Leary
Timothy Leary
Timothy Francis Leary was an American psychologist and writer, known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs. During a time when drugs like LSD and psilocybin were legal, Leary conducted experiments at Harvard University under the Harvard Psilocybin Project, resulting in the Concord Prison...
. Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
polymath Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
was often quoted as saying "it is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority".
The term can also be read humorously as a noun phrase signifying "someone who is an authority on the subject of questions".