Certainty Quote by A. J. P. Taylor
“Knowledge breeds doubt, not certainty, And the more we know the more uncertain we become.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on History and Knowledge, 1975
More information reveals complexity, eroding simple certainties and increasing doubt.
In simple terms: Knowledge breeds uncertainty.
Key Takeaway
Accept ambiguity.
Themes
knowledge
uncertainty
learning
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
academic
reflective
When to use this quote
- academic research
- policy making
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
philosophy
epistemology
history
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you cope with uncertainty?
- When is doubt useful?
A Different Perspective
Over‑analysis can lead to paralysis.
![“If there had been a strong democratic sentiment in Germany, Hitler would never have come to power . [Germans] deserved what they got when they went round crying for a hero.” quote by A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/858/a-j-p-taylor-14528_cry_if-there-had-been-a-strong-democratic-se_512170.jpg)
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)