--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must remain, in a word, in an…" description: "\"We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the investigat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/claude-bernard-7455_belief_we-must-remain-in-a-word-in-an-intellect_321555.png" --- # We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition… ![“We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the investigator. We must have a robust faith and yet not believe.” quote by Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/claude-bernard-7455_belief_we-must-remain-in-a-word-in-an-intellect_321555.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/claude-bernard-7455_belief_we-must-remain-in-a-word-in-an-intellect_321555.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/claude-bernard-7455_belief_we-must-remain-in-a-word-in-an-intellect_321555.png) > “We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the investigator. We must have a robust faith and yet not believe.” [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists should maintain a skeptical yet open mindset, combining strong curiosity with disciplined doubt to truly investigate. **In simple terms:** Balance faith in inquiry with critical skepticism. Key Takeaway Cultivate a disciplined, questioning mindset. Themes science philosophy methodology inquiry Mood thoughtful inspirational Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - research design - laboratory work - theoretical analysis Key Concepts critical thinking skepticism faith in investigation Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate healthy skepticism from cynicism? - What practices foster both faith and doubt in research? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on doubt can hinder progress if not balanced with constructive belief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Disposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposition/) [Disposition Paradoxical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposition-paradoxical-3029380/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectual Disposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-disposition-3029379/) [Investigation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigation/) [Investigators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigators/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Paradoxical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradoxical/) [Paradoxical Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradoxical-opinion-3029382/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Remain Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remain-word-3029381/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Robust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robust/) [Robust Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robust-faith-1223759/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) ## Related quotes > [The investigator should have a robust faith - and yet not believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-investigator-should-have-a-robust-faith-and-yet-not-believe/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [“A personal library is an X-ray of the owner’s soul. It offers keys to a particular temperament, an intellectual disposition, a way of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-parini/a-personal-library-is-an-x-ray-of-the-owner-s-soul-it-offers-keys-to/) [Jay Parini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-parini/) > [I love Jesus, who said to us: Heaven and earth will pass away. When heaven and earth have passed away, my word will remain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-machado/i-love-jesus-who-said-to-us-heaven-and-earth-will-pass-away-when/) [Antonio Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-machado/) > [Is it not lack of faith that leads men to fear the scrutiny of reason? If the destination is doubtful, than the path must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-woolfolk-cross/is-it-not-lack-of-faith-that-leads-men-to-fear-the-scrutiny-of-reason-2/) [Donna Woolfolk Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-woolfolk-cross/) > [Robust faith in oneself and brave trust of the opponent, so called or real, is the best safeguard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/robust-faith-in-oneself-and-brave-trust-of-the-opponent-so-called-or/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Is it not lack of faith that leads men to fear the scrutiny of reason? If the destination is doubtful, then the path must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-woolfolk-cross/is-it-not-lack-of-faith-that-leads-men-to-fear-the-scrutiny-of-reason/) [Donna Woolfolk Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-woolfolk-cross/) > [The fact that knowledge endlessly recedes as the investigator is about to grasp it is what constitutes at the same time his torment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-fact-that-knowledge-endlessly-recedes-as-the-investigator-is/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The great experimental principle, then, is doubt, that philosophic doubt which leaves to the mind its freedom and initiative, and from which the virtues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-great-experimental-principle-then-is-doubt-that-philosophic-doubt/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Ardent desire for knowledge, in fact, is the one motive attracting and supporting investigators in their efforts; and just this knowledge, really grasped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/ardent-desire-for-knowledge-in-fact-is-the-one-motive-attracting-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The history of science knows scores of instances where an investigator was in the possession of all the important facts for a new theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mayr/the-history-of-science-knows-scores-of-instances-where-an/) [Ernst Mayr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mayr/) > [If I had multiple lives, I'd like to do many things, including being a homicide investigator. I'm not brave enough to chase people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veena-sud/if-i-had-multiple-lives-i-d-like-to-do-many-things-including-being-a/) [Veena Sud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veena-sud/) > [Science even more than the Gospel teaches us humility. She cannot look down on anything, she does not know what superiority means, she despises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/science-even-more-than-the-gospel-teaches-us-humility-she-cannot-look/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [Do experimental work but keep in mind that other investigators in the same field will consider your discoveries as less than one fourth as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manning-child/do-experimental-work-but-keep-in-mind-that-other-investigators-in-the/) [Charles Manning Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manning-child/) > [Not many appreciate the ultimate power and potential usefulness of basic knowledge accumulated by obscure, unseen investigators who, in a lifetime of intensive study,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenie-clark/not-many-appreciate-the-ultimate-power-and-potential-usefulness-of/) [Eugenie Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenie-clark/) > [I am myself by inclination an investigator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/i-am-myself-by-inclination-an-investigator/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## More by Claude Bernard > [In every enterprise ... the mind is always reasoning, and, even when we seem to act without a motive, an instinctive logic still directs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/in-every-enterprise-the-mind-is-always-reasoning-and-even-when-we/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Descriptive anatomy is to physiology what geography is to history, and just as it is not enough to know the typography of a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/descriptive-anatomy-is-to-physiology-what-geography-is-to-history-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge. It is in the darker. It is in the darker regions of science that great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/mediocre-men-often-have-the-most-acquired-knowledge-it-is-in-the/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Ardent desire for knowledge, in fact, is the one motive attracting and supporting investigators in their efforts; and just this knowledge, really grasped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/ardent-desire-for-knowledge-in-fact-is-the-one-motive-attracting-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [If I had to define life in a single phrase, I should clearly express my thought of throwing into relief one characteristic which, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/if-i-had-to-define-life-in-a-single-phrase-i-should-clearly-express/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The investigator should have a robust faith - and yet not believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-investigator-should-have-a-robust-faith-and-yet-not-believe/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Even mistaken hypotheses and theories are of use in leading to discoveries. This remark is true in all the sciences. The alchemists founded chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/even-mistaken-hypotheses-and-theories-are-of-use-in-leading-to/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Tout est poison, rien n'est poison, tout est une question de dose. Everything is poisonous, nothing is poisonous, it is all a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/tout-est-poison-rien-n-est-poison-tout-est-une-question-de-dose/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [A fact in itself is nothing. It is valuable only for the idea attached to it, or for the proof which it furnishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/a-fact-in-itself-is-nothing-it-is-valuable-only-for-the-idea-attached/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/it-is-what-we-know-already-that-often-prevents-us-from-learning/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [The fact that knowledge endlessly recedes as the investigator is about to grasp it is what constitutes at the same time his torment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/the-fact-that-knowledge-endlessly-recedes-as-the-investigator-is/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [But while I accept specialization in the practice, I reject it utterly in the theory of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/but-while-i-accept-specialization-in-the-practice-i-reject-it-utterly/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Men who have excessive faith in their theories ... make poor observations, because they choose among the results of their experiments only what suits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/men-who-have-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-make-poor-observations/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [First causes are outside the realm of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/first-causes-are-outside-the-realm-of-science/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Progress is achieved by exchanging our theories for new ones which go further than the old, until we find one based on a larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/progress-is-achieved-by-exchanging-our-theories-for-new-ones-which-go/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) [Explore all 91 Claude Bernard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [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/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must remain, in a word, in an intellectual disposition which seems paradoxical, but which, in my opinion, represents the true mind of the investigator. 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