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Assent (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be forced: no one can stop you agreeing to the truth, and no one can make you accept a falsehood.

Assent (n.) should ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be given like a night watchman lets people through: 'show me your marks' — no impression passes unexamined, just as Socrates would not live an unexamined life.

Assent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠where the wise and the fool part: both go pale at a crash from the sky, but the wise man refuses to agree that it is terrible.

Assent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the second, voluntary step: the frightening impression arrives on its own, but agreeing with it is up to us.

Assent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the one free moment in perception: the impression throws itself upon us by its own force, but whether we approve it is up to us.

Assent (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the proof that something in you is free: who can compel you to assent to what seems false, or to refuse what seems true? No one.

Assent (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be forced — feel, if you can, that it is now night; feel that the stars are even in number.

Assent (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be forced: no one can stop you agreeing to a truth or make you accept a falsehood.