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Doubt Quotes

“The world men inhabit is rather bleak. It is a world full of doubt and confusion, where vulnerability must be hidden, not shared; where competition, not co-operation, is the order of the day; where men sacrifice the possibility of knowing their own children and sharing in their upbringing, for the sake of a job they may have chosen by chance, which may not suit them and which in many cases dominates their lives to the exclusion of much else.”

MenWorldMayChildrenJobsOrderChanceCasesKnowingDoubtSacrificePossibilityCompetitionSakeChosenConfusionSuitsOperationsVulnerabilityUpbringingExclusionBleak
Author:Anna Ford
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“However destructive may be the policies of the government and the methods and products of the corporations, the root of the problem is always found to be found in private life. We must learn to see that every problem that concerns us as conservationists always leads straight to the question of how we live. The world is being destroyed, no doubt about it, by the greed of the rich and powerful. It is also being destroyed by popular demand.”

WorldMayProblemGovernmentFoundPowerfulRichDoubtPolicyProductsDemandConcernRootsMethodGreedDestroyedCorporationsNo DoubtDestructiveConsumerismPrivate LifeOverconsumption
Book:Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community: Eight Essays
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“It may well happen that what is in itself the more certain on account of the weakness of our intelligence, which is dazzled by the clearest objects of nature; as the owl is dazzled by the light of the sun. Hence the fact that some happen to doubt about articles of faith is not due to the uncertain nature of the truths, but to the weakness of human intelligence; yet the slenderest knowledge that may be obtained of the highest things is more desirable than the most certain knowledge obtained of lesser things.”

HumansWellsMayFactsLightHappensChristianCertainSunDoubtObjectsHighestWeaknessAccountsDuesOrthodoxArticlesUncertainDesirableOrthodox ChristianOwlHuman IntelligenceCertain Knowledge
Book:The Summa Theologica: Complete Edition
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“It can be a good thing if deeper theology, or philosophy, only makes one more uncertain. It may lead to a healthy doubt; he may throw his hands up saying, 'God, I just don't know anymore. If you're out there, I'm giving it all to you.' From there, after the surrender, he is allowing God himself, rather than theories, books, and documents, to take over and lead him into all truth.”

IfsKnowsGivingMayBookPhilosophyHandsDoubtTheoryHealthyGood ThingsDeeperSurrenderTheologyAllowingUncertainDocumentsHands UpGiving It All
Book:Killosophy
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“What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of one's knowledge, and what is to be their end? What can be more deeply disheartening than to wonder whether one's soul is, perhaps, a material thing, like a stone or a reptile, corruptible like these base creatures? Is there not more strength and greatness of mind in admitting the idea of a being superior to all other beings, who has made them all and to whom all owe their existence; of a being supremely perfect, who is pure, who had no beginning and can have no ending, of whom our soul is the image and, so to speak, a portion, being a spiritual and immortal thing?”

IfsMenMindMayDoeMadeIdeasSoulEndsAbleSpiritualPerfectDoubtSubjectsMaterialsPureProveCreaturesAll ThingsStonesCorruptionSuperiorsImmortalDiscouragingGrandeurStrength Of MindReptiles
Author:Jean de la Bruyere
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“The student who would build his knowledge on solid foundations, and proceed by just degrees to the pinnacles of truth, is directed by the great philosopher of France to begin by doubting of his own existence. In like manner, whoever would complete any arduous and intricate enterprise, should, as soon as his imagination can cool after the first blaze of hope, place before his own eyes every possible embarrassment that may retard or defeat him. He should first question the probability of success, and then endeavour to remove the objections that he has raised.”

ShouldFirstsMayEyeImaginationExistenceDoubtStudentsTruth IsDegreesFoundationRaisedDefeatPhilosopherFranceEnterpriseRemoveProbabilityEmbarrassmentObjectionsEndeavourIntricatePinnacleRetardSolid FoundationGreat Philosophers
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“The best recipe for happiness and contentment I've seen is this: dig a big hole in the garden of your thoughts and put into it all your disillusions, disappointments, regrets, worries, troubles, doubts, and fears. Cover well with the earth of fruitfulness. Water it from the well of contentment. Sow on top the seeds of hope, courage, strength, patience, and love. Then when the time for gathering comes, may your harvest be a rich and fruitful one.”

WellsMayBigsEarthHappinessWaterWorryRichDoubtTroubleRegretGardenAnd LoveDisappointmentSeedsHolesContentmentHarvestRecipesGatheringDisillusionCourage StrengthPatience And LoveFruitfulnessDoubt And FearHope Courage
Book:Staying Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down World: Daily Hope for the Daily Grind
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“I have always had my doubts about any form of divine intervention in sports contests. The power of prayer may be remarkable in many other arenas, but why should God want my team to win instead of the other side? Isn't it insulting to request God to even take an interest in baseball?”

WantShouldMayFormWinningSportsSidesInterestPrayerDoubtTeamDivineBaseballRemarkableContestsArenaInterventionRequestInsultingDivine Intervention
Book:Roger Ebert's video companion: 1996 edition
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“Wise or unwise, who doubts for a moment that contentment is the cause of happiness? Yet the inverse is true: we are contented because we are happy, and not happy because we are contented. Well-regulated minds may be satisfied with a small portion of happiness; none can be happy with a small portion of content.”

MindWellsMayMomentsCausesDoubtWiseSatisfiedContentmentPortionsNot HappyUnwiseInverse
Book:The works of Walter Savage Landor [ed. by J. Forster].
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“We cannot know whether we love God, although there may be strong reason for thinking so; but there can be no doubt about whether we love our neighbor or not. Be sure that, in proportion as you advance in fraternal charity, you are increasing your love of God, for His Majesty bears so tender an affection for us that I cannot doubt He will repay our love for others by augmenting, and in a thousand different ways, that which we bear for Him.”

ThinkingKnowsWayMayDifferentReasonStrongDoubtBearsThousandCharityAffectionNeighborGod LoveDifferent WaysNo DoubtProportionOur LoveMajestyFraternal
Author:Teresa of Avila
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“The schizophrenic may indeed be mad. He is mad. He is not ill. I have been told by people who have been through the mad experience how what was then revealed to them was veritable manna from Heaven. The person's whole life may be changed, but it is difficult not to doubt the validity of such vision. Also, not everyone comes back to us again.”

PeopleMayPersonsHas BeensWholeHeavenDifficultVisionDoubtChangedMadnessMadIllWhole LifeValiditySchizophrenic
Author:R. D. Laing
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“The anchor of meaning resides in an abyss, deeper than the reach of despair. Yet the abyss is not not infinite; its bottom may suddenly be discovered within the confines of a human heart or under the debris of might doubts. This may be the vocation of man: to say "Amen" to being and to the Author of being; to live in defiance of absurdity, notwithstanding futility and defeat; to attain faith in God even in spite of God.”

MenHumansHeartMayMightDoubtDespairInfiniteBottomDefeatDeeperSpiteFaith In GodAbsurdityHuman HeartAbyssVocationAnchorsDefianceFutilityAmenDebris
Book:Who is Man?
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“The heart of God through his creation stirs, We thrill to feel it, trembling as the flowers That die to live again, his messengers, To keep faith firm in these sad souls of ours. The waves of Time may devastate our lives, The frosts of age may check our failing breath, They shall not touch the spirit that survives Triumphant over doubt and pain and death.”

FeelsHeartMaySoulAgePainSpiritDiesDoubtOur LivesFailingCreationFlowerBreathsWaveChecksFirmThrillTremblingFrostMessengersTriumphantKeep The FaithSad Soul
Book:Poems
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“Scientific discovery is a private event, and the delight that accompanies it, or the despair of finding it illusory, does not travel. One scientist may get great satisfaction from another's work and admire it deeply; it may give him great intellectual pleasure; but it gives him no sense of participation in the discovery, it does not carry him away, and his appreciation of it does not depend on his being carried away. If it were otherwise the inspirational origin of scientific discovery would never have been in doubt.”

IfsGivingMayDoeHas BeensPleasureDoubtEventsDependsDespairFindingsIntellectualDiscoveryScientistSatisfactionDelightAppreciationAdmireParticipationAccompanyIllusoryCarried AwayScientific Discovery
Book:The Strange Case of the Spotted Mice and Other Classic Essays on Science
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“The task of the political philosopher can only be to influence public opinion, not to organize people for action. He will do so effectively only if he is not concerned with what is now politically possible but consistently defends the "general principles which are always the same." In this sense I doubt whether there can be such a thing as a conservative political philosophy. Conservatism may often be a useful practical maxim, but it does not give us any guiding principles which can influence long-range developments.”

PeopleIfsGivingMayLongDoePhilosophyActionPoliticalOpinionPrinciplesDoubtInfluenceDevelopmentConcernedTasksConservativePhilosopherPracticalsRangeConsistentlyOrganizeMaximsPublic OpinionConservatismPolitical PhilosophyOften IsGuiding PrinciplesConservative Political
Author:Friedrich August von Hayek
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“Whatever else history may say about me when I'm gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty's lamp guiding your steps and opportunity's arm steadying your way.”

WayMayDreamOpportunityLibertyStepsGoneDoubtRecordsWorstArmsLampsHoping For The BestWorst Fear
Book:The Last Best Hope: The Greatest Speeches of Ronald Reagan
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“Eternal God, lead me now out of the familiar setting of my doubts and fears, beyond my pride and my need to be secure into a strange and graceful ease with my true proportions and with yours; that in boundless silence I may grow strong enough to endure and flexible enough to share your grace.”

NeedsMayEnoughStrongGrowsSilenceDoubtGraceShareStrangePrideEternalEndureSettingFamiliarSettingsSecureEaseProportionFlexibleStrong EnoughBoundlessLeading MeDoubt And Fear
Book:Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle
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“If we say I love you, it may be received with doubt, for there are times when it is hard to believe. Say I hate you, and the one spoken to believes it instantly, once for all. ... Love must be learned, and learned again and again; there is no end to it. Hate needs no instruction, but waits only to be provoked.”

IfsNeedsBelieveMayEndsHardHateWaitingDoubtLove YouI HateInstructionAgain And AgainHate YouI Hate YouSay I Love YouHard To BelieveProvoked
Author:Katherine Anne Porter
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“Others may doubt us. They may criticize us. They may try to deny us what is rightfully ours. But they will fail. And I promise you, as long as I am mayor, I will never back away from fighting any opponent - or confronting any obstacle - that would prevent our people from achieving all of their dreams in Our New York.”

PeopleTryingMayLongDreamFightingDoubtFailingAchieveNew YorkPromiseObstaclesDenyOpponentsCriticizeI PromiseMayorsConfronting
Author:Michael Bloomberg
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“We are perhaps too near the age of transition to see clearly the interplay of all that made for progress. Each of us has had his own peculiar training, his own personal contact with the mighty ones of the immediate past; and this forms as it were a telescopic tube determining limits to our field of vision. No doubt we may range the whole horizon; but after all we look from our own point of vantage.”

LooksMayMadeWholeAgePastFormVisionDoubtProgressFieldsLimitsTrainingContactRangeNo DoubtHorizonTransitionPeculiarTubes
Author:Cargill Gilston Knott
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“Everything we did was done in form and with propriety, and the result of our proceedings is the document [the Quebec Resolutions] that has been submitted to the imperial government as well as to this house and which we speak of here as a treaty. And that there may be no doubt about our position in regard to that document we say, question it you may, reject it you may, or accept it you may, but alter it you may not.”

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Author:Thomas D'Arcy McGee
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“Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty; it means living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much cares whether you do, and for which there may be neither an audience nor reward. Making the work you want to make means setting aside these doubts so that you may see clearly what you have done, and thereby see where to go next. Making the work you want to make means finding nourishment within the work itself.”

WantMayMeanArtDoneCareFacesNextAudienceDoubtFindingsRewardsSettingSettingsUncertaintyContradictionNourishment
Book:Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
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“It is only great pain--that slow, sustained pain that takes its time, in which we are, as it were, burned with smoldering green firewood--that forces us philosophers to sink to our ultimate profundity and to do away with all the trust, everything good-natured, veil-imposing, mild and middling, on which we may have previously based our humanity. I doubt that such a pain makes us 'better'--but I know that it makes us deeper.”

KnowsMayPainHumanityForceDoubtUltimateGreenPhilosopherDeeperBurnedVeilsImposingProfundityFirewood
Author:Friedrich Nietzsche
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“Here the only genuine conflict is between true believers. Of a given text in Holy Writ one faction may say this thing and another that, but both agree unreservedly that the text itself is impeccable, and neither in the midst of the most violent disputation would venture to accuse the other of doubt. To call a man a doubter in these parts is equal to accusing him of cannibalism. Even the infidel Scopes himself is not charged with any such infamy.”

MenMayGivenDoubtAtheismHolyConflictEqualAgreePositive AtheismBelieverGenuineViolentMidstVentureScopeFactionsTrue BelieverInfidelCannibalismImpeccableDoubtersInfamyAccusing
Author:H. L. Mencken
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“We must be willing to change chairs if we want to grow. There is no permanent compatibility between a chair and a person. And there is no one right chair. What is right at one stage may be restricting at another or too soft. During the passage from one stage to another, we will be between two chairs. Wobbling no doubt, but developing.”

IfsWantMayPersonsTwoGrowsGrowing UpDoubtStageWillingDevelopingPermanentNo DoubtChairsPassagesCompatibilityWilling To Change
Book:Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life
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“Out of the element of participation follows the certainty of faith; out of the element of separation follows the doubt in faith. And each is essential for the nature of faith. Sometimes certainty conquers doubt, but it cannot eliminate doubt. The conquered of today may become the conqueror of tomorrow. Sometimes doubt conquers faith, but it still contains faith. Otherwise it would be indifference.”

MayStillsSometimesWould BeTodayFaithDoubtTomorrowEssentialsElementsSeparationCertaintyConquerIndifferenceParticipationConqueror
Book:Dynamics of Faith
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“We cannot begin with complete doubt. We must begin with all the prejudices which we actually have when we enter upon the study ofphilosophy. These prejudices are not to be dispelled by a maxim, for they are things which it does not occur to us can be questioned. A person may, it is true, in the course of his studies, find reason to doubt what he began by believing; but in that case he doubts because he has a positive reason for it, and not on account of the Cartesian maxim. Let us not pretend to doubt in philosophy what we do not doubt in our hearts.”

BelieveHeartMayPersonsDoeReasonPhilosophyCoursesCasesStudyDoubtAccountsPrejudiceMaxims
Author:Charles Sanders Peirce
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