Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. Ferenc David The word authority (derived from the Latin word auctoritas ) can be used to mean the right to exercise power given by the State (in the form of government, judges, police officers, etc.), or by academic knowledge of an area (someone that can be an authority on a subject). When the word authority is used in the name of an organization, this name usually refers to the governing body upon which such authority is vested... In government , the term authority is often used interchangeably with power . However, their meanings differ: while power is defined as "the ability to influence somebody to do something that he/she would not have ...