“Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith! Banish me from Eden when you will; but first let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge!”

American lawyer, writer, and orator

Robert Green Ingersoll, known as “the Great Agnostic,” was an American lawyer, writer, and orator in the Golden Age of Free Thought. He became known for defending agnosticism in public life. He argued forcefully for free inquiry and skepticism, and his reputation rested as much on his speaking as on his writing. His work is associated with the broader free thought movement, where he stood out as a prominent advocate for agnostic ideas.