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About this quote

What does it mean?
Both doubting everything and believing everything are easy ways to avoid thinking.
In plain terms
Either doubting or believing everything lets you skip reflection.
What can you take from it?
Avoid taking the easy route of total doubt or total belief; think critically.

Where it applies

  • making decisions
  • evaluating arguments

Putting it to work

  • question assumptions instead of accepting or rejecting wholesale

Questions to consider

  • What habits help us stay in the middle ground?
  • How can we recognize when we are avoiding reflection?

Another view

It oversimplifies the spectrum of thoughtful inquiry.

More from Henri Poincare

  1. La pensee ne doit jamais se soumettre, ni a un dogme, ni a un parti, ni a une passion, ni a un interet, ni a une idee preconcue, ni a quoi que ce soit, si ce n…

    Permalink to quote #4

  2. Les mathematiciens n'etudient pas des objets, mais des relations entre les objets; il leur est donc indifferent de remplacer ces objets par d'autres, pourvu qu…

    Permalink to quote #6

  3. La tache de l'educateur est de faire repasser l'esprit de l'enfant par ou a passe celui de ses peres, en passant rapidement par certaines etapes mais en n'en s…

    Permalink to quote #3

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