The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion.

Glasow’s aphorism points to an inverse relationship between evidence and certainty: when people lack facts, they often compensate with stronger conviction. The “strength” of the opinion is not presented as intellectual rigor but as psychological intensity—an armor against uncertainty. The quote critiques dogmatism and motivated reasoning, suggesting that opinions can become most forceful precisely when they are least accountable to reality. Implicitly, it recommends epistemic humility: the more one learns, the more complex a question appears, and the harder it becomes to maintain absolute certainty. It also serves as a warning about public debate, where confidence can be mistaken for competence.