Xenophanes

Aim for a purified understanding of the divine that is consistent, rational, and free of superstition.

Live with awareness that human beliefs change across peoples and times, so do not mistake custom for universal truth.

Treat poetry and public speech as vehicles for criticism and moral reflection, not merely entertainment.

Pursue wisdom with intellectual humility: speak carefully, knowing certainty is rare in human affairs.

Question cultural assumptions, especially when custom presents itself as sacred truth.

Value observation and reflection over tradition, reputation, or popular opinion.

Be modest about human knowledge, recognizing that even the wisest people grasp only a partial truth.

Hold that there is one supreme divine reality, greater than mortal beings and not subject to human weakness.

Reject the habit of imagining the gods in human likeness; do not project human flaws, bodies, or politics onto the divine.

Seek truth through reason and critical inquiry rather than accepting inherited myths unexamined.