--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 16 I started keeping a diary…" description: "\"When I was 16 I started keeping a diary in which I recorded my disagreements with the famous philosophers. I didn't insist that they were wrong, that I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/albert-ellis-3379_degrees_when-i-was-16-i-started-keeping-a-diary_2968315.jpg" --- # When I was 16 I started keeping a diary in which I… ![“When I was 16 I started keeping a diary in which I recorded my disagreements with the famous philosophers. I didn't insist that they were wrong, that I was right and I had to prevail. I just agreed and disagreed with them. I thought there was a high degree of probability that I was right and some…” quote by Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/albert-ellis-3379_degrees_when-i-was-16-i-started-keeping-a-diary_2968315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/albert-ellis-3379_degrees_when-i-was-16-i-started-keeping-a-diary_2968315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c56/albert-ellis-3379_degrees_when-i-was-16-i-started-keeping-a-diary_2968315.jpg) > “When I was 16 I started keeping a diary in which I recorded my disagreements with the famous philosophers. I didn't insist that they were wrong, that I was right and I had to prevail. I just agreed and disagreed with them. I thought there was a high degree of probability that I was right and some other thinkers were wrong. But I wasn't positive about it.” [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning philosophers with humility acknowledges uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Stay open to doubt. Key Takeaway Embrace intellectual humility. Themes psychology philosophy self‑reflection Mood introspective educational Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - academic debates - personal journaling Key Concepts cognitive bias critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence and doubt? - When is certainty useful? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can still persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Disagreed Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreed-thought-4557308/) [Disagreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreement/) [Disagreements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreements/) [Famous Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-philosophers-229764/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophers Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers-didn-4557309/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Probability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probability/) [Recorded Disagreements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recorded-disagreements-4557310/) [Thinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinker/) [Thinkers Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinkers-wrong-4557311/) ## Related quotes > [Oddly, since by now I've written quite a lot on early modern philosophers, I didn't care for the history of philosophy, which I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/oddly-since-by-now-i-ve-written-quite-a-lot-on-early-modern/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [I worked among many famous philosophers, and I tried to observe how they treated students. I knew which ones I wanted to be like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-worked-among-many-famous-philosophers-and-i-tried-to-observe-how/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [It's true we have our disagreements on border issues, we have disagreements on trade and related issues, but you don't go invading a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meles-zenawi/it-s-true-we-have-our-disagreements-on-border-issues-we-have/) [Meles Zenawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meles-zenawi/) > [“I’ve learned that disagreements with James often occur because one of us knows something that the other does not. Usually it’s not something obvious;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hitz/i-ve-learned-that-disagreements-with-james-often-occur-because-one-of/) [Dave Hitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hitz/) > [Harmony is a symphony, and symphony is an agreement; but an agreement of disagreements while they disagree there cannot be; you cannot harmonize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/harmony-is-a-symphony-and-symphony-is-an-agreement-but-an-agreement/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [A delusion that encourages belief where there is no evidence is asking for trouble. 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Those who don't fight through these obstacles were never meant to be together in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fights-arguments-and-disagreements-are-all-a-part-of-relationships/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We should stop looking to law to provide the final answer… Law cannot save us from ourselves… We have to go out and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/we-should-stop-looking-to-law-to-provide-the-final-answer-law-cannot/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [It appears to me that in Ethics, as in all other philosophical studies, the difficulties and disagreements, of which history is full, are mainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/it-appears-to-me-that-in-ethics-as-in-all-other-philosophical-studies/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [Disagreements over money are the biggest cause of divorce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/disagreements-over-money-are-the-biggest-cause-of-divorce/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [There have been major disagreements within the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-raffarin/there-have-been-major-disagreements-within-the-european-union/) [Jean-Pierre Raffarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-raffarin/) > [“Have thoughtful disagreements in which people are willing to shift their opinions as they learn,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/have-thoughtful-disagreements-in-which-people-are-willing-to-shift/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Some day, I must ask him what it's like to be married to someone who, eyes narrowed in thought, peers at him over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/some-day-i-must-ask-him-what-it-s-like-to-be-married-to-someone-who/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [“when people’s brains are in defensive mode, it becomes harder to see common sense. Small disagreements can end up holding back progress beyond reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/when-people-s-brains-are-in-defensive-mode-it-becomes-harder-to-see/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) ## More by Albert Ellis > [The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-best-years-of-your-life-are-the-ones-in-which-you-decide-your/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [“REBT’s Insight No. 1 holds that you have both healthy and unhealthy emotions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/rebt-s-insight-no-1-holds-that-you-have-both-healthy-and-unhealthy/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Failure doesn't have anything to do with your intrinsic value as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/failure-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-your-intrinsic-value-as-a/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [So I'd better stop my whining and help myself cope better with even the worst Adversities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/so-i-d-better-stop-my-whining-and-help-myself-cope-better-with-even/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I'm one of the best-loved psychologists in the United States, but I'm also probably the most hated one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-m-one-of-the-best-loved-psychologists-in-the-united-states-but-i-m/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I thought foolishly that Freudian psychoanalysis was deeper and more intensive than other, more directive forms of therapy, so I was trained in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-thought-foolishly-that-freudian-psychoanalysis-was-deeper-and-more/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I'm very happy. I like my work and I like the various aspects of it - going around the world, teaching the gospel according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-m-very-happy-i-like-my-work-and-i-like-the-various-aspects-of-it/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Let's suppose somebody abused you sexually. You still had a choice, though not a good one, about what to tell yourself about the abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/let-s-suppose-somebody-abused-you-sexually-you-still-had-a-choice/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [People don't just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/people-don-t-just-get-upset-they-contribute-to-their-upsetness/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [“The concept of deservingness for one’s “sins” implies that certain acts are unquestionably under all conditions “sinful.” And this is impossible to prove.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-concept-of-deservingness-for-one-s-sins-implies-that-certain-acts/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [The art of love is largely the art of persistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/the-art-of-love-is-largely-the-art-of-persistence/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [I teach people to be flexible, scientific and logical in their thinking and therefore to be less prone to brainwashing by the therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-teach-people-to-be-flexible-scientific-and-logical-in-their/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [For that again, is what all manner of religion essentially is: childish dependency. 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Failure can lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/people-are-terrified-of-other-people-or-difficult-projects-because/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) [Explore all 132 Albert Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) ## More Degrees quotes > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. 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After I graduated with my masters I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-was-a-full-time-student-either-at-stony-brook-or-nyu-getting-my/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [Life comes from death. To the degree that I can live in the death of Jesus - to that degree I can channel God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/life-comes-from-death-to-the-degree-that-i-can-live-in-the-death-of/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [As hard as I try to live with some degree of faith in my life, I just can't believe that the full moon can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/as-hard-as-i-try-to-live-with-some-degree-of-faith-in-my-life-i-just/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [My mother taught me three things, respect, knowledge-search for knowledge, it's an eternal journey. 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