The first precept was never to accept a thing as true until I knew it as such without a single doubt.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Descartes states his primary rule was to accept truth only when certain beyond doubt.
- In plain terms
- Accept truth only when certain.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not accept things without certainty.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When was the last time you were certain?
- Is doubt a virtue?
Another view
Absolute certainty is often unattainable in practice.
More from Rene Descartes
The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues.
Permalink to quote #8 Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.
Permalink to quote #10 It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well.
Permalink to quote #7
Related quotes
If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties.
Francis BaconFrancis Bacon quote #16 Is dogmatic or scholastic theology less doubted in point of fact for claiming, as it does, to be in point of right undoubtable? And if not, what command over t…
William JamesWilliam James quote #74 'Are you sure?' I said that sure was just what I wasn't anything but.
P. G. WodehouseP. G. Wodehouse quote #166