--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...that kind of skeptical questioning…" description: "\"“...that kind of skeptical questioning, don't accept what authority tells you -attitude of science- is also nearly identical to the attitude of mind ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a79/carl-sagan-160_accepting_that-kind-of-skeptical-questioning-don-t_2943113.jpg" --- # ...that kind of skeptical questioning, don't accept what… ![“...that kind of skeptical questioning, don't accept what authority tells you -attitude of science- is also nearly identical to the attitude of mind necessary for a functioning democracy. Science and democracy have very consonant values and approaches, and I don't think you can have one without the…” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a79/carl-sagan-160_accepting_that-kind-of-skeptical-questioning-don-t_2943113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a79/carl-sagan-160_accepting_that-kind-of-skeptical-questioning-don-t_2943113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a79/carl-sagan-160_accepting_that-kind-of-skeptical-questioning-don-t_2943113.jpg) > ““...that kind of skeptical questioning, don't accept what authority tells you -attitude of science- is also nearly identical to the attitude of mind necessary for a functioning democracy. Science and democracy have very consonant values and approaches, and I don't think you can have one without the other.”” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science and democracy share a critical, questioning mindset that challenges authority and relies on evidence and reason. **In simple terms:** Both require questioning authority and evidence. Key Takeaway Encourage critical thinking in civic life. Themes critical thinking democracy science authority reason Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public policy debates - educational curricula - community decision making - media analysis Key Concepts Skepticism civic engagement epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect scientific integrity? - What civic duties require scientific literacy? A Different Perspective Science can be politicized, limiting open inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Consonants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consonants/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable. Science and democracy began - in their civilized incarnations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I do understand people when they say that you destroy the magic of childhood if you encourage too much skeptical questioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-do-understand-people-when-they-say-that-you-destroy-the-magic-of/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What is the best balance between comfortable habit and skeptical questioning, between following community traditions and independent thinking, between acceptance and crusading for change?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lockwood-huie/what-is-the-best-balance-between-comfortable-habit-and-skeptical/) [Jonathan Lockwood Huie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lockwood-huie/) > [Science and democracy are the right and left hands of what I'll refer to as the move from the realm of necessity to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/science-and-democracy-are-the-right-and-left-hands-of-what-i-ll-refer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“In a way our job is not so much to inspire the scientist in kids, but rather to allow it to grow on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivka-galchen/in-a-way-our-job-is-not-so-much-to-inspire-the-scientist-in-kids-but/) [Rivka Galchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivka-galchen/) > [“Science is far from a perfect instrument of knowledge. It's just the best we have. In this respect, as in many others, it's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/science-is-far-from-a-perfect-instrument-of-knowledge-it-s-just-the/) [carl sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Given the scale of issues like global warming and epidemic disease, we shouldn't underestimate the importance of a can-do attitude to science rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/given-the-scale-of-issues-like-global-warming-and-epidemic-disease-we/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Here in the U.S., we've made democracy into a science. A cold, impersonal science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/here-in-the-u-s-we-ve-made-democracy-into-a-science-a-cold-impersonal/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [We're an elective democracy where science and technology will define where the economically strong countries in the world will be. And science and technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-re-an-elective-democracy-where-science-and-technology-will-define/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-christian-church-in-its-attitude-toward-science-shows-the-mind-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Vowels were something else. He didn't like them and they didn't like him. There were only five of them, but they seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/vowels-were-something-else-he-didn-t-like-them-and-they-didn-t-like/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [Brute animals have the vowel sounds; man only can utter consonants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/brute-animals-have-the-vowel-sounds-man-only-can-utter-consonants/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [When we listen to improvisational jazz, or solo classical violinists, the way they phrase and inflect melodies feels vocal, like they’re talking to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/when-we-listen-to-improvisational-jazz-or-solo-classical-violinists/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Here learn the science of the Saints: All is to be found in the passion of Jesus. Make every effort to remain hidden in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-of-the-cross/here-learn-the-science-of-the-saints-all-is-to-be-found-in-the/) [Paul of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-of-the-cross/) > [ On their own, each \[character\] is a victim of no importance. But when you bring them together, they become a dangerous weapon. Jeanne is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/on-their-own-each-character-is-a-victim-of-no-importance-but-when-you/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...that kind of skeptical questioning, don't accept what authority tells you -attitude of science- is also nearly identical to the attitude of mind necessary for a functioning democracy. 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