Cognition Quote by Charles Sanders Peirce
“Over against any cognition, there is an unknown but knowable reality; but over against all possible cognition, there is only the self-contradictory. In short, cognizability (in its widest sense) and being are not merely metaphysically the same, but are synonymous terms.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Doctrine of Necessity" by Charles Sanders Peirce, 1905
Knowledge and existence are inseparable; they define each other.
In simple terms: Being and knowing are the same thing.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that understanding shapes reality.
Themes
epistemology
metaphysics
identity
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- philosophical debate
- personal belief formation
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
ontology
cognitive theory
self-reference
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to "know" something fully?
- Can something exist without being known?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overlook non-cognitive aspects of existence.
![“[The Head of Radio Three] had been ensnared by the Music Director of the college and a Professor of Philosophy. These two were busy explaining to the harassed man that the phrase "too much Mozart" was, given any reasonable definition of those three words, an inherently self-contradictory…” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/289/douglas-adams-122_argument_the-head-of-radio-three-had-been-ensnare_934848.jpg)
![“[Mood allocates] investments of time, effort, resources, and risk taking to maximize Darwinian fitness in situations of varying propitiousness. High and low moods adjust cognition and behavior to cope with propitious and unpropitious situations.” quote by Randolph M. Nesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6d0/randolph-m-nesse-24802_behavior_mood-allocates-investments-of-time-effor_87538.jpg)
