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About this quote

What does it mean?
Believe only what you can personally test or verify. Independent verification is required for true belief.
In plain terms
Do not believe what you cannot prove yourself.
What can you take from it?
Verify claims before accepting them as true.

Where it applies

  • research
  • debate
  • everyday decisions

Putting it to work

  • fact checking
  • testing ideas
  • questioning sources

Questions to consider

  • How do you test truth?
  • What do you believe without proof?

Another view

Some truths like love are hard to verify empirically.

More from G. I. Gurdjieff

  1. There do exist enquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of th…

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  2. All religions speak about death during this life on earth. Death must come before rebirth. But what must die? False confidence in one's own knowledge, self-lov…

    Permalink to quote #15
  3. Knowledge can be acquired by a suitable and complete study, no matter what the starting point is. Only one must know how to 'learn.' What is nearest to us is m…

    Permalink to quote #12

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