--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We desire truth, and find within…" description: "\"We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and happines..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/blaise-pascal-167_certainty_we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselve_63422.jpg" --- # We desire truth, and find within ourselves only… ![“We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and happiness, and are incapable of certainty or happiness.” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/blaise-pascal-167_certainty_we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselve_63422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/blaise-pascal-167_certainty_we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselve_63422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/blaise-pascal-167_certainty_we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselve_63422.jpg) > “We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and happiness, and are incapable of certainty or happiness.” [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence is marked by an endless pursuit of absolute knowledge and lasting joy, yet both remain perpetually out of reach, leaving us with doubt and suffering. **In simple terms:** The quest for certainty and happiness is futile. Key Takeaway Desire outpaces attainable reality. Themes existentialism philosophy of knowledge human condition suffering hope Mood melancholic reflective somber Type aphorism philosophical statement When to use this quote - contemplating life's purpose - grappling with existential doubt - seeking meaning in adversity - reflecting on personal limits Key Concepts uncertainty desire mortality happiness Practical Applications - philosophical essays - therapeutic counseling Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to accept uncertainty? - Can we find contentment without certainty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Certainty Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty-happiness-855283/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-truth-517254/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Incapable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incapable/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Seek Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek-happiness/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-happiness-855284/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) [Uncertainty Seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty-seek-855285/) ## Related quotes > [“We desire truth and find within ourselves only uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselves-only-uncertainty/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-men-seek-happiness-this-is-without-exception-whatever-different-2/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“We are full of things which take us out of ourselves. Our instinct makes us feel that we must seek our happiness outside ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/we-are-full-of-things-which-take-us-out-of-ourselves-our-instinct/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [All men seek happiness. There are no exceptions… This is the motive of every act of every man, including those who go and hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-men-seek-happiness-there-are-no-exceptions-this-is-the-motive-of/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-men-seek-happiness-this-is-without-exception-whatever-different/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Has decided to take a new road in his life and isn't sure whether its wrong or right but knows its guided by truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/has-decided-to-take-a-new-road-in-his-life-and-isn-t-sure-whether-its/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Happiness is sought after more than truth is, but only until a certain level that happiness is achieved does one prefer being exposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/happiness-is-sought-after-more-than-truth-is-but-only-until-a-certain/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Who is better, they who promote truth over happiness, or happiness over truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/who-is-better-they-who-promote-truth-over-happiness-or-happiness-over/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Happiness goes beyond the stretch of your lips. Heart strings can play happy but the soul of the heart is the truth of happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goitsemang-mvula/happiness-goes-beyond-the-stretch-of-your-lips-heart-strings-can-play/) [Goitsemang Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goitsemang-mvula/) > [Through the ages all great men have taught truth and happiness can't be bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/through-the-ages-all-great-men-have-taught-truth-and-happiness-can-t/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [I think life is difficult and that's that. I am not at all - absolutely not at all - interested in the pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-think-life-is-difficult-and-that-s-that-i-am-not-at-all-absolutely/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [The belief that happiness has to be deserved has led to centuries of pain, guilt, and deception. So firmly have we clung to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/the-belief-that-happiness-has-to-be-deserved-has-led-to-centuries-of/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [“Truth destroys the worst in man; pleasure destroys the best. If you love truth more than happiness, then open; otherwise, let rest.” His”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright/truth-destroys-the-worst-in-man-pleasure-destroys-the-best-if-you/) [John C. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright/) > [For myself, I long ago decided that I would rather know the truth than be happy in ignorance. If I can not have both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-myself-i-long-ago-decided-that-i-would-rather-know-the-truth-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Blaise Pascal > [“Do they think that they have given us great pleasure by telling us that they hold our soul to be no more than wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/do-they-think-that-they-have-given-us-great-pleasure-by-telling-us/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There should be in eloquence that which is pleasing and that which is real; but that which is pleasing should itself be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-should-be-in-eloquence-that-which-is-pleasing-and-that-which-is/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. 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Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Happiness can be found neither in ourselves nor in external things, but in God and in ourselves as united to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/happiness-can-be-found-neither-in-ourselves-nor-in-external-things/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Rivers are highways that move on and bear us whither we wish to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/rivers-are-highways-that-move-on-and-bear-us-whither-we-wish-to-go/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“There is no denying it; one must admit that there is something astonishing about Christianity. 'It is because you were born in it,' they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-no-denying-it-one-must-admit-that-there-is-something/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Imagination is the deceptive part in man, the mistress of error and falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/imagination-is-the-deceptive-part-in-man-the-mistress-of-error-and/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The majority is the best way, because it is visible, and has strength to make itself obeyed. Yet it is the opinion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-majority-is-the-best-way-because-it-is-visible-and-has-strength/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The vanity of the sciences. Physical science will not console me for the ignorance of morality in the time of affliction. But the science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-vanity-of-the-sciences-physical-science-will-not-console-me-for/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Explore all 988 Blaise Pascal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## More Certainty quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. 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