I know of no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too desirous of evidence in support of their core beliefs.

Harris is arguing that a culture’s demand for evidence—especially regarding its most cherished “core beliefs”—is not a danger but a safeguard. The line implies that societies are harmed not by excessive skepticism or verification, but by credulity, dogmatism, and the insulation of beliefs from critical scrutiny. It also frames evidential standards as socially beneficial: when people insist on reasons, data, and testable claims, errors are more likely to be corrected and abuses of authority (religious, political, or ideological) face friction. The quote thus functions as a defense of rational inquiry and a critique of faith-based or tradition-based certainty when it resists evidentiary challenge.