--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look…" description: "\"All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. Know why you believe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/frances-wright-9487_believe_all-that-i-say-is-examine-inquire-look-i_785107.png" --- # All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature… ![“All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.” quote by Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/frances-wright-9487_believe_all-that-i-say-is-examine-inquire-look-i_785107.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/frances-wright-9487_believe_all-that-i-say-is-examine-inquire-look-i_785107.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/frances-wright-9487_believe_all-that-i-say-is-examine-inquire-look-i_785107.png) > “All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.” [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage urges deep self‑examination of beliefs, encouraging rational inquiry and understanding of one’s convictions. **In simple terms:** Examine and understand your beliefs. Key Takeaway Question and justify your convictions. Themes philosophy critical thinking self‑knowledge Mood inquisitive reflective Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - personal development - debate - education - spiritual practice Key Concepts reason epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your core beliefs? - How do you balance faith and reason? A Different Perspective Self‑examination can become overly analytical, leading to paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-why-you-believe-understand-what-you-believe-and-possess-a-reason/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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 material world is simply an expression of the mind; that's what so many fail to see. We're so dependent on what is before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/the-material-world-is-simply-an-expression-of-the-mind-that-s-what-so/) [Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/) > [If you can get to know a person, and you can really understand them, it can usually help you better understand yourself and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/if-you-can-get-to-know-a-person-and-you-can-really-understand-them-it/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [Why understand when you can believe?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/why-understand-when-you-can-believe/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [For I do not seek to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order to understand. For I believe this: unless I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-of-canterbury/for-i-do-not-seek-to-understand-in-order-to-believe-but-i-believe-in/) [Anselm of Canterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-of-canterbury/) > [We don't believe because we understand. We understand because we believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/we-don-t-believe-because-we-understand-we-understand-because-we/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [As soon as you understand 2 x 4 you can't believe there was a time when you didn't understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-lewis/as-soon-as-you-understand-2-x-4-you-can-t-believe-there-was-a-time/) [Cynthia Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-lewis/) > [I do not try, Lord, to attain Your lofty heights, because my understanding is in no way equal to it. But I do desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-not-try-lord-to-attain-your-lofty-heights-because-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/understanding-is-the-reward-of-faith-therefore-seek-not-to-understand/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [Don't assume that because everyone believes a thing, that it is right or wrong. Reason things out for yourself. Work to get answers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/don-t-assume-that-because-everyone-believes-a-thing-that-it-is-right/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [“For I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-anselm/for-i-do-not-seek-to-understand-in-order-that-i-may-believe-but-i/) St. Anselm > [“If you don’t understand or believe in the decisions coming down from your leadership, it is up to you to ask questions until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-you-don-t-understand-or-believe-in-the-decisions-coming-down-from/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“Even though the gospel is a set of truths to understand and believe, it cannot remain a set of beliefs if it is truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/even-though-the-gospel-is-a-set-of-truths-to-understand-and-believe/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Frances Wright > [... the happiness of a people is the only rational object of government, and the only object for which a people, free to choose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-happiness-of-a-people-is-the-only-rational-object-of-government/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [I am neither Jew nor Gentile, Mahomedan nor Theist; I am but a member of the human family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/i-am-neither-jew-nor-gentile-mahomedan-nor-theist-i-am-but-a-member/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... so far from entrenching human conduct within the gentle barriers of peace and love, religion has ever been, and now is, the deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/so-far-from-entrenching-human-conduct-within-the-gentle-barriers-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [If they exert it not for good, they will for evil; if they advance not knowledge, they will perpetuate ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/if-they-exert-it-not-for-good-they-will-for-evil-if-they-advance-not/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Moral truth, resting entirely upon the ascertained consequences of actions, supposes a process of observation and reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/moral-truth-resting-entirely-upon-the-ascertained-consequences-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [It is in vain that we would circumscribe the power of one half of our race, and that half by far the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-in-vain-that-we-would-circumscribe-the-power-of-one-half-of-our/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [However novel it may appear, I shall venture the assertion, that, until women assume the place in society which good sense and good feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/however-novel-it-may-appear-i-shall-venture-the-assertion-that-until/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [You have heard of, and studied various systems of philosophy; but real philosophy is opposed to all systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/you-have-heard-of-and-studied-various-systems-of-philosophy-but-real/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Credulity is always a ridiculous, often a dangerous failing: it has made of many a clever man, a fool; and of many a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/credulity-is-always-a-ridiculous-often-a-dangerous-failing-it-has/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Instead of establishing facts, we have to overthrow errors; instead of ascertaining what is, we have to chase from our imaginations what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/instead-of-establishing-facts-we-have-to-overthrow-errors-instead-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... we have broken down the self-respecting spirit of man with nursery tales and priestly threats, and we dare to assert, that inproportion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/we-have-broken-down-the-self-respecting-spirit-of-man-with-nursery/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [it is not that religion is merely useless, it is mischievous. It is mischievous by its idle terrors; it is mischievous by its false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-not-that-religion-is-merely-useless-it-is-mischievous-it-is/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Equality! Where is it, if not in education? Equal rights! They cannot exist without equality of instruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/equality-where-is-it-if-not-in-education-equal-rights-they-cannot/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [The best road to correct reasoning is by physical science; the way to trace effects to causes is through physical science; the only corrective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-best-road-to-correct-reasoning-is-by-physical-science-the-way-to/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [He who lives in the single exercise of his mental faculties, however usefully or curiously directed, is equally an imperfect animal with the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/he-who-lives-in-the-single-exercise-of-his-mental-faculties-however/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) [Explore all 72 Frances Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. 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