Doubt Quote by Étienne Gilson
![“Pure sensism leads inevitably to universal doubt; if reality is in the end reducible to sensible appearance, then, since this is in a state of perpetual flux and self-contradiction, no kind of certitude will any longer be possible. [...] Truth is necessary and immutable; but in the sensible order…” quote by Étienne Gilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5c/etienne-gilson-21565_reality_pure-sensism-leads-inevitably-to-univers_1728131.jpg)
““Pure sensism leads inevitably to universal doubt; if reality is in the end reducible to sensible appearance, then, since this is in a state of perpetual flux and self-contradiction, no kind of certitude will any longer be possible. [...] Truth is necessary and immutable; but in the sensible order nothing necessary or immutable is to be found; therefore sensible things will never yield us any truth.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Étienne Gilson, 1935
If all we can know is ever‑changing sensory data, then certainty is impossible; truth must be unchanging, so it cannot be found in the sensible world.
In simple terms: Sensory change prevents certainty; truth is immutable.
Key Takeaway
Seek knowledge beyond mere senses.
Themes
epistemology
philosophy
certainty
truth
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- theological debate
- personal reflection
- scientific inquiry
Key Concepts
metaphysics
skepticism
ontological dualism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we trust any sense at all?
- What non‑sensory foundations might provide certainty?
A Different Perspective
Sensory evidence can still support reliable knowledge in practice.
![“A doubt that in reality, 'I am not this' has arisen regarding the knowledge of 'Who am I'. From the moment a doubt sets in about the knowledge that one has known up until now, 'we' [the Gnani Purush] Know that the time has come for that knowledge to break! The knowledge over which doubts arise…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/932/dada-bhagwan-31_doubt_a-doubt-that-in-reality-i-am-not-this-ha_2717638.jpg)
