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About this quote

What does it mean?
Diderot separates practical survival needs from religious belief.
In plain terms
Knowing facts matters more than believing in God.
What can you take from it?
Practical knowledge is more critical than faith.

Where it applies

  • everyday life
  • interpersonal relations
  • philosophical debate

Putting it to work

  • prioritizing safety
  • respecting atheists
  • factual accuracy

Questions to consider

  • Does belief matter for daily survival?
  • What distinguishes fact from faith?

Another view

It minimizes the personal value of faith for believers.

More from Denis Diderot

  1. There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it.

    Permalink to quote #24
  2. There are things I can't force. I must adjust. There are times when the greatest change needed is a change of my viewpoint.

    Permalink to quote #26
  3. Evil always turns up in this world through some genius or other.

    Permalink to quote #23

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