--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [The Devil] And after all, who knows…" description: "\"“[The Devil] And after all, who knows whether proof of the devil is also proof of God? I want to join an idealist society and form an opposition within..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_proof-of-god_the-devil-and-after-all-who-knows-whethe_2858382.jpg" --- # \[The Devil\] And after all, who knows whether proof of the… ![“[The Devil] And after all, who knows whether proof of the devil is also proof of God? I want to join an idealist society and form an opposition within it: 'I'm a realist,' I'll say, 'not a materialist,' heh, heh!” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_proof-of-god_the-devil-and-after-all-who-knows-whethe_2858382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_proof-of-god_the-devil-and-after-all-who-knows-whethe_2858382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_proof-of-god_the-devil-and-after-all-who-knows-whethe_2858382.jpg) > ““\[The Devil\] And after all, who knows whether proof of the devil is also proof of God? I want to join an idealist society and form an opposition within it: 'I'm a realist,' I'll say, 'not a materialist,' heh, heh!”” [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning the existence of evil and God, the narrator suggests that proving the devil may also prove divine presence, highlighting the blurred line between belief and skepticism. **In simple terms:** Evil and God may be linked in proof. Key Takeaway Consider the paradox of faith and doubt. Themes philosophy theology existentialism Mood thoughtful introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - religious debate - personal belief - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts skepticism dualism Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to prove evil? - Can belief exist without evidence? A Different Perspective The argument can be seen as rhetorical rather than substantive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Materialist Heh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialist-heh-3843253/) [Opposition Realist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition-realist-3843252/) [Proof Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-devil-3843251/) [Proof God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-god/) [Proof of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-of-god/) [Say Materialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-materialist-3843250/) ## Related quotes > [Prosperity cannot be a proof of God's favor, since it is what the devil promises to those who worship him. (Matt. 4:9)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/prosperity-cannot-be-a-proof-of-god-s-favor-since-it-is-what-the/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“I've been offered proof of God's existence at regular intervals in my life through experiences so profound they've given goose bumps to atheists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-skiff/i-ve-been-offered-proof-of-god-s-existence-at-regular-intervals-in-my/) [Jennifer Skiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-skiff/) > [“People say that there is no proof of God therefore it's not real, but what about love? There's no proof of love, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-hervis/people-say-that-there-is-no-proof-of-god-therefore-it-s-not-real-but/) [alyssa hervis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-hervis/) > [But what of faith? What of fidelity and loyalty? Complete trust? Faith is not granted by tangible proof. It comes from the heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/but-what-of-faith-what-of-fidelity-and-loyalty-complete-trust-faith/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [The Atheist waits for proof of God. Till that proof comes he remains, as his name implies, without God. His mind is open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-atheist-waits-for-proof-of-god-till-that-proof-comes-he-remains/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wine is constant proof that God loves us and likes to see us happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/wine-is-constant-proof-that-god-loves-us-and-likes-to-see-us-happy/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The more that science unravels about the wonder of life and the universe, the more i am in are of it. the beauty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-that-science-unravels-about-the-wonder-of-life-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The virtue of man is, in a word, the great proof of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-virtue-of-man-is-in-a-word-the-great-proof-of-god/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“The only proof of God in the world was color. Everything would have worked the same without it. So why would the world have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-d-souza/the-only-proof-of-god-in-the-world-was-color-everything-would-have/) [Tony D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-d-souza/) > [Difficulties are God's errands; and when we are sent upon them, we should esteem it a proof of God's confidence,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/difficulties-are-god-s-errands-and-when-we-are-sent-upon-them-we/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Hitler is endless proof of God's love and blessing for which we ever must be grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrud-scholtz-klink/hitler-is-endless-proof-of-god-s-love-and-blessing-for-which-we-ever/) [Gertrud Scholtz-Klink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrud-scholtz-klink/) > [It is not the objective proof of God's existence that we want but the experience of God's presence. That is the miracle we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-not-the-objective-proof-of-god-s-existence-that-we-want-but-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If our wondrous kindness is evidence for God, is our capacity for great evil proof of the Devil?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/if-our-wondrous-kindness-is-evidence-for-god-is-our-capacity-for/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [We desperately need to understand something of the magnitude of sin, of evil, and of gross wickedness in this world if we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hunt/we-desperately-need-to-understand-something-of-the-magnitude-of-sin/) [Dave Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hunt/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoyevsky > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Listen! I know it's not right to talk. Better to set an example, better to just start - I have already started - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/listen-i-know-it-s-not-right-to-talk-better-to-set-an-example-better/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The morning was so damp and misty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-morning-was-so-damp-and-misty/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I repeat, I repeat with emphasis: all "direct" persons and men of action are active just because they are stupid and limited. How explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-repeat-i-repeat-with-emphasis-all-direct-persons-and-men-of-action/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“He is a man of intelligence, but to act sensibly, intelligence is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-is-a-man-of-intelligence-but-to-act-sensibly-intelligence-is-not/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [ “if \[God\] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of-the-earth-of-the-universe/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“From an encounter in 1862... “Dickens told me,” Dostoyevsky recalled in a letter written years later, “that all the good, simple people in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/from-an-encounter-in-1862-dickens-told-me-dostoyevsky-recalled-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“It must be the top drawer," he reflected. "So she carries the keys in a pocket on the right. All in one bunch on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-must-be-the-top-drawer-he-reflected-so-she-carries-the-keys-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“- You take evil for good. It's a passing crisis. It's the result of your illness, perhaps. - You do despise me! It's simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/you-take-evil-for-good-it-s-a-passing-crisis-it-s-the-result-of-your/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Clouds overlaid the sky as with a shroud of mist, and everything looked sad, rainy, and threatening under a fine drizzle which was beating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/clouds-overlaid-the-sky-as-with-a-shroud-of-mist-and-everything/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“People who can speak well, speak briefly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/people-who-can-speak-well-speak-briefly/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I think I could stand anything, any suffering, only to be able to say and to repeat to myself every moment, 'I exist.' In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-think-i-could-stand-anything-any-suffering-only-to-be-able-to-say/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“There is no more ceaseless or tormenting care for man, as long as he remains free, than to find someone to bow down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-is-no-more-ceaseless-or-tormenting-care-for-man-as-long-as-he/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) [Explore all 1,078 Fyodor Dostoyevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More Proof of god quotes > [We desperately need to understand something of the magnitude of sin, of evil, and of gross wickedness in this world if we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hunt/we-desperately-need-to-understand-something-of-the-magnitude-of-sin/) [Dave Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hunt/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/to-suppose-that-the-eye-could-have-been-formed-by-natural-selection/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/my-argument-against-god-was-that-the-universe-seemed-so-cruel-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [God's favorites, especially God's favorites, are not immune from the bewildering times when God seems silent. Where there is no longer any opportunity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tournier/god-s-favorites-especially-god-s-favorites-are-not-immune-from-the/) [Paul Tournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tournier/) > [Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more than a moral parasite, living his life based on borrowed ethics. This is why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/still-even-the-most-admirable-of-atheists-is-nothing-more-than-a/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [“I tend to view synchronicities as proof that I am on the right path. It’s like a pat on the back from God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-vaillancourt/i-tend-to-view-synchronicities-as-proof-that-i-am-on-the-right-path/) [Annette Vaillancourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-vaillancourt/) > [A heathen philosopher once asked a Christian, 'Where is God'? The Christian answered, 'Let me first ask you, Where is He not?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-arrowsmith/a-heathen-philosopher-once-asked-a-christian-where-is-god-the/) [Aaron Arrowsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-arrowsmith/) > [A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-does-not-call-a-line-crooked-unless-he-has-some-idea-of-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-have-never-seen-the-slightest-scientific-proof-of-the-religious-2/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [It is not the objective proof of God's existence that we want but the experience of God's presence. That is the miracle we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-not-the-objective-proof-of-god-s-existence-that-we-want-but-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Hitler is endless proof of God's love and blessing for which we ever must be grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrud-scholtz-klink/hitler-is-endless-proof-of-god-s-love-and-blessing-for-which-we-ever/) [Gertrud Scholtz-Klink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrud-scholtz-klink/) > [Difficulties are God's errands; and when we are sent upon them, we should esteem it a proof of God's confidence,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/difficulties-are-god-s-errands-and-when-we-are-sent-upon-them-we/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“The only proof of God in the world was color. Everything would have worked the same without it. 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