--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is thinking? It is the activity of…" description: "\"What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what must be true, or cannot be true, in the light of the given facts or assumptions.\" — Dallas W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png" --- # What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what… ![“What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what must be true, or cannot be true, in the light of the given facts or assumptions.” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png) > “What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what must be true, or cannot be true, in the light of the given facts or assumptions.” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking involves testing ideas against facts and assumptions to discover truth or falsehood. **In simple terms:** Thinking is checking ideas against reality. Key Takeaway Question assumptions. Themes philosophy critical thinking truth-seeking Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - problem solving - decision making - research Key Concepts logic epistemology analysis Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions are you overlooking? - How do you verify facts? A Different Perspective Thinking can be limited by bias or incomplete data. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Facts Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts-assumptions-3412043/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Searching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching/) [Searching True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching-true-1664755/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-activity-3412042/) ## Related quotes > [Well I've been searching for something true My heart says it must be you I'd love to fall and see it through But only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/well-i-ve-been-searching-for-something-true-my-heart-says-it-must-be/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [Thinking is the activity I love best, and writing to me is simply thinking through my fingers. I can write up to 18 hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/thinking-is-the-activity-i-love-best-and-writing-to-me-is-simply/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [The Balkanization of the media means that nobody is having a single conversation with a single set of agreed-upon facts and assumptions the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-balkanization-of-the-media-means-that-nobody-is-having-a-single/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Searching for true love and finding it, is priceless!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/searching-for-true-love-and-finding-it-is-priceless/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [My life is like a circle I go around in 1 direction searching for my true love it is so hard to fine at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-nicholas/my-life-is-like-a-circle-i-go-around-in-1-direction-searching-for-my/) [Raheem Nicholas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-nicholas/) > [True love don't not come when you're searching for it.true love just come only to a patient heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keniva-joseph/true-love-don-t-not-come-when-you-re-searching-for-it-true-love-just/) [Keniva Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keniva-joseph/) > [Don't let a broken heart keep you from searching for true love...it's out there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayjee-grogan/don-t-let-a-broken-heart-keep-you-from-searching-for-true-love-it-s/) [Ayjee Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayjee-grogan/) > [People spend their lives searching for their one true love, their other half. I found mine in college, dancing in a fraternity house driveway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-spend-their-lives-searching-for-their-one-true-love-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can spend your whole life searching for your one true love, but one day you'll realize that I've been right beside you all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-spend-your-whole-life-searching-for-your-one-true-love-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If it be true that democracy is based upon the assumption that every man shall serve his fellow man, the organization of democracy should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/if-it-be-true-that-democracy-is-based-upon-the-assumption-that-every/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Love chooses to believe the best about people. It gives them the benefit of the doubt. It refuses to fill in the unknowns with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/love-chooses-to-believe-the-best-about-people-it-gives-them-the/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [I love that sometimes we need to go to the opposite side of the world to realize assumptions that we didn't even know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/i-love-that-sometimes-we-need-to-go-to-the-opposite-side-of-the-world/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [A recovery of the old sense of sin is essential to Christianity. Christ takes it for granted that men are bad. Until we really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-recovery-of-the-old-sense-of-sin-is-essential-to-christianity/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what must be true, or cannot be true, in the light of the given facts or assumptions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dallas Willard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-searching-out-what-must-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-searching-out-what-must-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/dallas-willard-819_activity_what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-s_1985139.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is thinking? It is the activity of searching out what must be true, or cannot be true, in the light of…” — Dallas Willard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dallas Willard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What is thinking? It is the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-searching-out-what-must-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-is-thinking-it-is-the-activity-of-searching-out-what-must-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```