--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ought not to believe those who today…" description: "\"We ought not to believe those who today, adopting a philosophical air and with a tone of superiority, prophesy the decline of culter and are content wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/david-hilbert-12585_adopting_we-ought-not-to-believe-those-who-today_2822099.jpg" --- # We ought not to believe those who today, adopting a… ![“We ought not to believe those who today, adopting a philosophical air and with a tone of superiority, prophesy the decline of culter and are content with the unknowable in a self-satisfied way. For us there is no unknowable, and in my opinion there is also non whatsoever for the natural sciences…” quote by David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/david-hilbert-12585_adopting_we-ought-not-to-believe-those-who-today_2822099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/david-hilbert-12585_adopting_we-ought-not-to-believe-those-who-today_2822099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/david-hilbert-12585_adopting_we-ought-not-to-believe-those-who-today_2822099.jpg) > “We ought not to believe those who today, adopting a philosophical air and with a tone of superiority, prophesy the decline of culter and are content with the unknowable in a self-satisfied way. For us there is no unknowable, and in my opinion there is also non whatsoever for the natural sciences. In place of this foolish unknowable, let our watchword on the contrary be: we must know - we shall know.” [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hilbert argues that scientific progress requires confidence in human reason and rejects the notion of unknowable limits in natural science. **In simple terms:** Science must be pursued with confidence, not resigned to mystery. Key Takeaway Embrace inquiry, reject fatalism. Themes science philosophy confidence humanism Mood determined optimistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - research labs - policy making - education - public discourse Key Concepts epistemology rationalism positivism Questions to Reflect On - What limits, if any, should we accept in scientific inquiry? - How does confidence affect research outcomes? A Different Perspective Assumes all phenomena are ultimately knowable, which may overlook unknown unknowns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Natural science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-science/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/) [Unknowable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unknowable/) ## Related quotes > [For us there is no ignorabimus, and in my opinion none whatever in natural science. In opposition to the foolish ignorabimus our slogan shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/for-us-there-is-no-ignorabimus-and-in-my-opinion-none-whatever-in/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [all the gods are the same unknowable mystery, just as each face of a jewel strikes light in a different direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-constable/all-the-gods-are-the-same-unknowable-mystery-just-as-each-face-of-a/) [Kate Constable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-constable/) > [“I loved her for what I couldn't understand about her. Love searches for the mystery in the beloved, seeks the unknowable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dufresne/i-loved-her-for-what-i-couldn-t-understand-about-her-love-searches/) [John Dufresne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dufresne/) > [Music, because of its specific and far-reaching metaphorical powers, can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/music-because-of-its-specific-and-far-reaching-metaphorical-powers/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [“The Unknown is not the Unknowable; it need not remain the unknown for us, unless we choose ignorance or persist in our first limitations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-unknown-is-not-the-unknowable-it-need-not-remain-the-unknown-for/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [If the highest things are unknowable, then the highest capacity or virtue of man cannot be theoretical wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/if-the-highest-things-are-unknowable-then-the-highest-capacity-or/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Throughout it all, you are still, always, you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/throughout-it-all-you-are-still-always-you-beautiful-and-bruised/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [There may be things that are completely unknowable to us, so we must be careful not to treat the limits of our knowledge as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/there-may-be-things-that-are-completely-unknowable-to-us-so-we-must/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [“If the essence of things is unknowable, the misery of man cannot be fathomed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/if-the-essence-of-things-is-unknowable-the-misery-of-man-cannot-be/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [There is only ever one answer to the question what did you do with your life, and it's the same--fleeting and unknowable--for every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-wiggins/there-is-only-ever-one-answer-to-the-question-what-did-you-do-with/) [Marianne Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-wiggins/) > [Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/music-can-name-the-unnameable-and-communicate-the-unknowable/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [The more unknowable the mystery, the more beautiful it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-more-unknowable-the-mystery-the-more-beautiful-it-is/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“Identity confusion... is as if somebody lost their mental road map and has no appreciation of who they are or what is going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-chefetz/identity-confusion-is-as-if-somebody-lost-their-mental-road-map-and/) Richard A. Chefetz > [It is strange to reflect how much energy is thrown away in attempting to know the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barber-lightfoot/it-is-strange-to-reflect-how-much-energy-is-thrown-away-in-attempting/) [Joseph Barber Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barber-lightfoot/) > [“Our lives were limitless and unknowable, not perfect, but ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/our-lives-were-limitless-and-unknowable-not-perfect-but-ours/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) ## More by David Hilbert > [ \[On Cantor's work:\] The finest product of mathematical genius and one of the supreme achievements of purely intellectual human activity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/on-cantor-s-work-the-finest-product-of-mathematical-genius-and-one-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry is the most complete science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-is-the-most-complete-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Who of us would not be glad to lift the veil behind which the future lies hidden; to cast a glance at the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/who-of-us-would-not-be-glad-to-lift-the-veil-behind-which-the-future/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [How thoroughly it is ingrained in mathematical science that every real advance goes hand in hand with the invention of sharper tools and simpler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/how-thoroughly-it-is-ingrained-in-mathematical-science-that-every/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Galileo was no idiot. Only an idiot could believe that science requires martyrdom - that may be necessary in religion, but in time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/galileo-was-no-idiot-only-an-idiot-could-believe-that-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [If I were to awaken after having slept for a thousand years, my first question would be: Has the Riemann hypothesis been proven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/if-i-were-to-awaken-after-having-slept-for-a-thousand-years-my-first/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [A mathematical theory is not to be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/a-mathematical-theory-is-not-to-be-considered-complete-until-you-have/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Besides it is an error to believe that rigour is the enemy of simplicity. On the contrary we find it confirmed by numerous examples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/besides-it-is-an-error-to-believe-that-rigour-is-the-enemy-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Is mathematics doomed to suffer the same fate as other sciences that have split into separate branches?... Mathematics is, in my opinion, an indivisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/is-mathematics-doomed-to-suffer-the-same-fate-as-other-sciences-that/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [One must be able to say at all times--instead of points, straight lines, and planes--tables, chairs, and beer mugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/one-must-be-able-to-say-at-all-times-instead-of-points-straight-lines/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I have tried to avoid long numerical computations, thereby following Riemann's postulate that proofs should be given through ideas and not voluminous computations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-have-tried-to-avoid-long-numerical-computations-thereby-following/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I do not want to presuppose anything as known. I see in my explanation in section 1 the definition of the concepts point, straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-do-not-want-to-presuppose-anything-as-known-i-see-in-my-explanation/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man; no other idea has so fruitfully stimulated his intellect; yet no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the-spirit-of-man-no/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [The further a mathematical theory is developed, the more harmoniously and uniformly does its construction proceed, and unsuspected relations are disclosed between hitherto separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-further-a-mathematical-theory-is-developed-the-more-harmoniously/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) [Explore all 53 David Hilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## More Adopting quotes > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I'm definitely not opposed to adopting. I think that would be marvellous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/i-m-definitely-not-opposed-to-adopting-i-think-that-would-be/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) > [I know a lot of people want to buy puppies, but adopting a dog who needs a home is doing something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-ginobili/i-know-a-lot-of-people-want-to-buy-puppies-but-adopting-a-dog-who/) [Manu Ginobili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-ginobili/) > [I'm not at all against white people adopting black children, because we're all human beings who need to give love and be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-m-not-at-all-against-white-people-adopting-black-children-because/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [There are many examples of companies and countries that have improved their competitiveness and efficiency by adopting open source strategies. The creation of skills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shuttleworth/there-are-many-examples-of-companies-and-countries-that-have-improved/) [Mark Shuttleworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shuttleworth/) > [Save a life this Thanksgiving, and join me in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one through Farm Sanctuary's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/save-a-life-this-thanksgiving-and-join-me-in-starting-a-new-tradition/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [As Barbara Streisand discovered, adopting a militaristic posture against a tech-savvy mob of civil libertarians is not going to be of much help: Many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/as-barbara-streisand-discovered-adopting-a-militaristic-posture/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I've learned a lot from being a chameleon, sort of adopting the musical personalities of who I was playing with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-denk/i-ve-learned-a-lot-from-being-a-chameleon-sort-of-adopting-the/) [Jeremy Denk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-denk/) > [“If the system were designed to protect adoptees, why do so many have to fight for their rights?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/if-the-system-were-designed-to-protect-adoptees-why-do-so-many-have/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [Nevertheless, the number of farmers, small as well as large, who are adopting the new seeds and new technology is increasing very rapidly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-borlaug/nevertheless-the-number-of-farmers-small-as-well-as-large-who-are/) [Norman Borlaug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-borlaug/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I was adopting an Ethiopian child, that's not true. My house was haunted, that wasn't true. God, there's been so many rumours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/i-was-adopting-an-ethiopian-child-that-s-not-true-my-house-was/) [Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/) > [I'm not sure the least educated members of the population are missing out on the advances in medical technology as much as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/i-m-not-sure-the-least-educated-members-of-the-population-are-missing/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [I have always done the opposite of what I was trained to do... Having little technical background, I became a photographer. Adopting a machine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/i-have-always-done-the-opposite-of-what-i-was-trained-to-do-having/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) Browse all 198 Adopting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We ought not to believe those who today, adopting a philosophical air and with a tone of superiority, prophesy the decline of culter and are content with the unknowable in a self-satisfied way. For us there is no unknowable, and in my opinion there is also non whatsoever for the natural sciences. 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