--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we firmly believe, if it is true, is…" description: "\"“What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called knowledge, provided it is either intuitive or inferred (logically or psychologically) from intuitive ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/bertrand-russell-69_quote_what-we-firmly-believe-if-it-is-true-is_2123468.jpg" --- # What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called… ![“What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called knowledge, provided it is either intuitive or inferred (logically or psychologically) from intuitive knowledge from which it follows logically. What we firmly believe, if it is not true, is called error. What we firmly believe, if it is neither…” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/bertrand-russell-69_quote_what-we-firmly-believe-if-it-is-true-is_2123468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/bertrand-russell-69_quote_what-we-firmly-believe-if-it-is-true-is_2123468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/bertrand-russell-69_quote_what-we-firmly-believe-if-it-is-true-is_2123468.jpg) > ““What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called knowledge, provided it is either intuitive or inferred (logically or psychologically) from intuitive knowledge from which it follows logically. What we firmly believe, if it is not true, is called error. What we firmly believe, if it is neither knowledge nor error, and also what we believe hesitatingly, because it is, or is derived from, something which has not the highest degree of self-evidence, may be called probable opinion. Thus the greater part of what would commonly pass as knowledge is more or less probable opinion.”” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge claims are either true, false, or uncertain; much of what we call knowledge is actually educated guesswork. **In simple terms:** Many “knowledge” statements are just educated guesses. Key Takeaway Question assumptions critically. Themes epistemology philosophy truth certainty logic Mood reflective inquisitive thoughtful Type philosophical educational analytical When to use this quote - academic debate - scientific research - everyday decision making - media consumption - policy formation Key Concepts knowledge error probable opinion critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs do you hold that might be probable opinion? - How do you distinguish knowledge from opinion? A Different Perspective Even with rigorous methods, some beliefs remain uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-knowledge-875850/) [Called Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-knowledge-673520/) [Error Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/error-believe-947902/) [Firmly Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firmly-believe/) [Knowledge Probable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-probable-4343682/) ## Related quotes > [Observe that it is a great error to believe that all mediums of art are not closely tied to their time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-pissarro/observe-that-it-is-a-great-error-to-believe-that-all-mediums-of-art/) [Camille Pissarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-pissarro/) > [It is error to believe that Every man is free to embrace and profess that religion which, guided by the light of reason, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-ix/it-is-error-to-believe-that-every-man-is-free-to-embrace-and-profess/) [Pope Pius IX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-ix/) > [It is, all in all, a historic error to believe that the master makes the school; the students make it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/it-is-all-in-all-a-historic-error-to-believe-that-the-master-makes/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [It is, I think, an error to believe that there is any need of religion to make life seem worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/it-is-i-think-an-error-to-believe-that-there-is-any-need-of-religion/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“And who talks of error now? I scarcely think the notion that flittered across my brain was an error. I believe it was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/and-who-talks-of-error-now-i-scarcely-think-the-notion-that-flittered/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Dad once noted (somewhat morbidly, I thought at the time) that American institutions would be infinitely more successful in facilitating the pursuit of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/dad-once-noted-somewhat-morbidly-i-thought-at-the-time-that-american/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without a Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/i-believe-a-knowledge-of-the-bible-without-a-college-course-is-more/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [“I believe knowledge ought to be gained without a dollar amount added to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-believe-knowledge-ought-to-be-gained-without-a-dollar-amount-added/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [I believe that through knowledge and discipline, financial peace is possible for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/i-believe-that-through-knowledge-and-discipline-financial-peace-is/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“millions of people who falsely believe that "knowledge is power." It is nothing of the sort! Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/millions-of-people-who-falsely-believe-that-knowledge-is-power-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even as a youngster, though, I could not bring myself to believe that if knowledge presented danger, the solution was ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/even-as-a-youngster-though-i-could-not-bring-myself-to-believe-that/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“I believe that knowledge is power but only if it's being shared”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-knowledge-is-power-but-only-if-it-s-being-shared/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do believe states' rights was a sound doctrine that got hijacked by some unsavory customers for a while - like, 150 years or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelton-reed/i-do-believe-states-rights-was-a-sound-doctrine-that-got-hijacked-by/) [John Shelton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelton-reed/) > [“There are those who believe knowledge is something that is acquired - a precious ore hacked, as it were, from the grey strata of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-are-those-who-believe-knowledge-is-something-that-is-acquired-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [There is, so I believe, in the essence of everything, something that we cannot call learning. There is, my friend, only a knowledge-that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/there-is-so-i-believe-in-the-essence-of-everything-something-that-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Firmly Believe quotes > [There is a very large chunk of our population who firmly believe in extraterrestrials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-ryan/there-is-a-very-large-chunk-of-our-population-who-firmly-believe-in/) [Jeri Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-ryan/) > [I do firmly believe that universal forces are at work that pull us inexorably toward the deserving results of our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/i-do-firmly-believe-that-universal-forces-are-at-work-that-pull-us/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [I firmly believe that with the right footwear one can rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-firmly-believe-that-with-the-right-footwear-one-can-rule-the-world/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I firmly believe the way forward for our nation is to have a robust democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/i-firmly-believe-the-way-forward-for-our-nation-is-to-have-a-robust/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I firmly believe if you start something, you should finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coy-bowles/i-firmly-believe-if-you-start-something-you-should-finish-it/) [Coy Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coy-bowles/) > [When you commit yourself to do the things I do, day in and day out, you firmly believe that opportunity will present itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderick-strong/when-you-commit-yourself-to-do-the-things-i-do-day-in-and-day-out-you/) [Roderick Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderick-strong/) > [I firmly believe that the court should take another direction on many of these moral issues that face us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/i-firmly-believe-that-the-court-should-take-another-direction-on-many/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [I firmly believe that in every situation, no matter how difficult, God extends grace greater than the hardship, and strength and peace of mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-griffith/i-firmly-believe-that-in-every-situation-no-matter-how-difficult-god/) [Andy Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-griffith/) > [I firmly believe every book was meant to be written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marchette-chute/i-firmly-believe-every-book-was-meant-to-be-written/) [Marchette Chute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marchette-chute/) > [I firmly believe everyone needs to have balance in their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bunbury/i-firmly-believe-everyone-needs-to-have-balance-in-their-life/) [Kylie Bunbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bunbury/) > [I firmly believe you never should spend your time being the former anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-firmly-believe-you-never-should-spend-your-time-being-the-former/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I firmly believe that unless one has tasted the bitter pill of failure, one cannot aspire enough for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/i-firmly-believe-that-unless-one-has-tasted-the-bitter-pill-of/) [A. P. J. Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/) > [Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/self-education-is-i-firmly-believe-the-only-kind-of-education-there-is/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) [Browse all 93 Firmly Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firmly-believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called knowledge, provided it is either intuitive or inferred (logically or psychologically) from intuitive knowledge from which it follows logically. What we firmly believe, if it is not true, is called error. What we firmly believe, if it is neither knowledge nor error, and also what we believe hesitatingly, because it is, or is derived from, something which has not the highest degree of self-evidence, may be called probable opinion. 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