--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reconsider, v. To seek a justification…" description: "\"Reconsider, v. To seek a justification for a decision already made.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0b/ambrose-bierce-140_decision-making_reconsider-v-to-seek-a-justification-for_808600.jpg" --- # Reconsider, v. To seek a justification for a decision… ![“Reconsider, v. To seek a justification for a decision already made.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0b/ambrose-bierce-140_decision-making_reconsider-v-to-seek-a-justification-for_808600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0b/ambrose-bierce-140_decision-making_reconsider-v-to-seek-a-justification-for_808600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0b/ambrose-bierce-140_decision-making_reconsider-v-to-seek-a-justification-for_808600.jpg) > “Reconsider, v. To seek a justification for a decision already made.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To reconsider means to seek justification for a decision already made, implying rationalization after the fact. **In simple terms:** Finding excuses after deciding. Key Takeaway Question your rationalizations. Themes decision‑making justification self‑deception Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - business - personal life - politics - law Key Concepts cognitive bias post‑decision rationalization critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - Why do we justify decisions after the fact? - How can we avoid rationalizing mistakes? A Different Perspective It can mask true motives and hinder learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Justification Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification-decision-5072069/) [Making decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decisions/) [Reconsider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconsider-360687/) [Reconsider Seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconsider-seek-6165217/) [Seek Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek-justification-1725726/) ## Related quotes > [To seek a justification for a decision already made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/to-seek-a-justification-for-a-decision-already-made/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [It is in the nature of the human being to seek a justification for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-in-the-nature-of-the-human-being-to-seek-a-justification-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To do evil a human being must first of all believe that what he's doing is good, or else that it's a well-considered act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/to-do-evil-a-human-being-must-first-of-all-believe-that-what-he-s/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“You have FALLEN from Grace when you seek to be Justification by your own self effort (the Law). Gal 5:4 AMP”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/you-have-fallen-from-grace-when-you-seek-to-be-justification-by-your/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [ACCUSE, v.t. To affirm another's guilt or unworth; most commonly as a justification of ourselves for having wronged him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/accuse-v-t-to-affirm-another-s-guilt-or-unworth-most-commonly-as-a/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Once you have made a careful decision based on facts, go into action. Don't stop to reconsider. Don't begin to hesitate, worry, and retrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/once-you-have-made-a-careful-decision-based-on-facts-go-into-action/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The question is: Will Trump's ego allow him to reconsider any negative moves that he now might have in mind? Such reconsideration is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-davidson/the-question-is-will-trump-s-ego-allow-him-to-reconsider-any-negative/) [Lawrence Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-davidson/) > [“Reconsider your life and see how you can make things work for yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/reconsider-your-life-and-see-how-you-can-make-things-work-for-yourself/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I'm most interested in that moment when my entire perspective changes, and I have to reconsider everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedi-slimane/i-m-most-interested-in-that-moment-when-my-entire-perspective-changes/) [Hedi Slimane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedi-slimane/) > [“If you haven't carried a voice recorder in the past 72 hours to capture the sum of your brilliant quotes, you should reconsider the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-keefer/if-you-haven-t-carried-a-voice-recorder-in-the-past-72-hours-to/) [Matthew Keefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-keefer/) > [“If you start losing people used to be close to you, then you probably should reconsider yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindrella/if-you-start-losing-people-used-to-be-close-to-you-then-you-probably/) [Cindrella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindrella/) > [I shall reconsider human knowledge by starting from the fact that we can know more than we can tell,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/i-shall-reconsider-human-knowledge-by-starting-from-the-fact-that-we/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [Trouble is just like love, after all; it comes in unannounced and takes over before you've had a chance to reconsider, or even to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/trouble-is-just-like-love-after-all-it-comes-in-unannounced-and-takes/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My children not only inspired me to reconsider what kind of eating animal I would be, but also shamed me into reconsideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/my-children-not-only-inspired-me-to-reconsider-what-kind-of-eating/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [And then you came along and you spoke to me and nobody had looked me in the eye for years. (...) But I remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/and-then-you-came-along-and-you-spoke-to-me-and-nobody-had-looked-me/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Decision making quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [My best business decision was to be independent as a musician and artist. My worst was compromising on certain aspects of a deal for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/my-best-business-decision-was-to-be-independent-as-a-musician-and/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [“Making a decision takes a moment, living a decision takes a life-time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherif-a-el-mawardy/making-a-decision-takes-a-moment-living-a-decision-takes-a-life-time/) [Sherif A. El-Mawardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherif-a-el-mawardy/) > [Cheshvan starts tonight," Rixon said, "What are you doing arsing around in a graveyard?" "Thinking." "Thinking?" "A process by which I use my brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/cheshvan-starts-tonight-rixon-said-what-are-you-doing-arsing-around/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [“The decisions we take reflects our belief and our charachter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnish-borah/the-decisions-we-take-reflects-our-belief-and-our-charachter/) [Rajnish Borah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnish-borah/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) [Browse all 4,912 Decision making quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Reconsider, v. 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