--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reason is faith in what can be understood…" description: "\"“Reason is faith in what can be understood without faith, but it’s still a faith, since to understand presupposes that there’s something understandable..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/fernando-pessoa-177_faith_reason-is-faith-in-what-can-be-understoo_1461431.jpg" --- # Reason is faith in what can be understood without faith… ![“Reason is faith in what can be understood without faith, but it’s still a faith, since to understand presupposes that there’s something understandable.” quote by Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/fernando-pessoa-177_faith_reason-is-faith-in-what-can-be-understoo_1461431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/fernando-pessoa-177_faith_reason-is-faith-in-what-can-be-understoo_1461431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/fernando-pessoa-177_faith_reason-is-faith-in-what-can-be-understoo_1461431.jpg) > ““Reason is faith in what can be understood without faith, but it’s still a faith, since to understand presupposes that there’s something understandable.”” [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reason seeks certainty through logical understanding, yet it itself relies on an underlying belief that something can be known. **In simple terms:** Reason depends on belief that things can be understood. Key Takeaway Recognize the hidden assumptions in your reasoning. Themes philosophy epistemology faith reasoning Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - academic debate - personal reflection - scientific inquiry - ethical decision making Key Concepts Rationalism skepticism metacognition Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you make about what is understandable? - How does faith influence your logical conclusions? A Different Perspective Reason may fail when the presumed understandable is actually ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [On the road halfway between faith and criticism stands the inn of reason. Reason is faith in what can be understood without faith, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/on-the-road-halfway-between-faith-and-criticism-stands-the-inn-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“In point of fact, he was not afraid to die, not anymore. He now understood with a faith that he had never before possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lake/in-point-of-fact-he-was-not-afraid-to-die-not-anymore-he-now/) [Nick Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lake/) > [“If you can admit that you haven't yet understood everything, faith can fill the emptiness in heart to confront the hesitation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-can-admit-that-you-haven-t-yet-understood-everything-faith-can/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/religion-it-must-be-understood-is-not-faith-religion-is-the-story-of/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [The world cannot always understand one's profession of faith, but it can understand service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-maclaren/the-world-cannot-always-understand-one-s-profession-of-faith-but-it/) [Ian Maclaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-maclaren/) > [“The Apostle Paul, quoting an Old Testament prophet, summarized what it means to be a believer when he wrote, “The just shall live by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/the-apostle-paul-quoting-an-old-testament-prophet-summarized-what-it/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [WHEN reading my present treatise, bear in mind that by "faith" we do not understand merely that which is uttered with the lips, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/when-reading-my-present-treatise-bear-in-mind-that-by-faith-we-do-not/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [“Philosophy cannot and should not give us an account of faith, but should understand itself and know just what it has indeed to offer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/philosophy-cannot-and-should-not-give-us-an-account-of-faith-but/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Faith HEBREWS 11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of  e things not seen. 2For by it the people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-hebrews-11-now-faith-is-the-assurance-of-things-hoped-for-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/is-it-faith-to-understand-nothing-and-merely-submit-your-convictions/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“By faith, we understand that we are just like the children of Israel. Whatever our needs are, the Eternal God is our source. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/by-faith-we-understand-that-we-are-just-like-the-children-of-israel/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [Do not seek understanding that you might have faith; seek faith that you might understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck-2/do-not-seek-understanding-that-you-might-have-faith-seek-faith-that/) [M Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck-2/) > [Faith... must be enforced by reason... when faith becomes blind it dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/faith-must-be-enforced-by-reason-when-faith-becomes-blind-it-dies/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Fernando Pessoa > [Everything interests me, but nothing holds me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-interests-me-but-nothing-holds-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“If only, I feel now, if only I could be someone able to see all this as if he had no other relation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/if-only-i-feel-now-if-only-i-could-be-someone-able-to-see-all-this-as/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [What's given, in fact, always depends on the person or thing it's given to. A minor incident in the street brings the cook to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/what-s-given-in-fact-always-depends-on-the-person-or-thing-it-s-given/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Smell is a strange sight. It evokes sentimental landscapes through a sudden sketching of the subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/smell-is-a-strange-sight-it-evokes-sentimental-landscapes-through-a/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Tudo vale a pena quando a alma não é pequena”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/tudo-vale-a-pena-quando-a-alma-n-o-pequena/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“no nostalgia hurts as much as nostalgia for things that never existed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-nostalgia-hurts-as-much-as-nostalgia-for-things-that-never-existed/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“The feelings that hurt most, the motions that sting most, are those that are absurd; the longing for impossible things, precisely because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/the-feelings-that-hurt-most-the-motions-that-sting-most-are-those/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“I try to say what I feel Without thinking about what I feel. I try to place words right next to my idea So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-try-to-say-what-i-feel-without-thinking-about-what-i-feel-i-try-to/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Have you ever considered, beloved other, how invisible we are to each other? We look at each other without seeing. We listen to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/have-you-ever-considered-beloved-other-how-invisible-we-are-to-each/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“To associate is to die. Only my consciousness of myself is real for me; other people are hazy phenomena in this consciousness, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/to-associate-is-to-die-only-my-consciousness-of-myself-is-real-for-me/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“When it comes to dreams, I’m no different from the errand boy and the seamstress. 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Nothing passes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/no-intelligent-idea-can-gain-general-acceptance-unless-some-stupidity/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [God gave the sea the danger and the abyss, but it was in it that He mirrored the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/god-gave-the-sea-the-danger-and-the-abyss-but-it-was-in-it-that-he/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Everything that surrounds us becomes part of us, it seeps into us with every experience of the flesh and of life and, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everything-that-surrounds-us-becomes-part-of-us-it-seeps-into-us-with/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) [Explore all 781 Fernando Pessoa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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