--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must never assume that which is…" description: "\"We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.\" — George Henry Lewes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg" --- # We must never assume that which is incapable of proof. ![“We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.” quote by George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg) > “We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.” [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We should not dismiss ideas simply because they cannot currently be proven; openness to the unprovable fuels inquiry and progress. **In simple terms:** Don’t reject unprovable ideas. Key Takeaway Stay open to uncertain possibilities. Themes open‑mindedness philosophy science skepticism Mood curious critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical inspirational When to use this quote - research planning - philosophical debate - policy making - ethical deliberation Key Concepts Epistemology falsifiability theory of knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle claims lacking proof? - When is skepticism harmful? A Different Perspective Proof may be unavailable, but evidence and reasoning still matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Never assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-assume/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [If you never assume importance, you never lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-you-never-assume-importance-you-never-lose-it/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Never assume, unless it stated. just relate it to LOVE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mine/never-assume-unless-it-stated-just-relate-it-to-love/) Mine > [Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-unger/never-assume-because-when-you-assume-you-make-an-ass-of-u-and-me/) Felix Unger > [Never assume you know where someone else is coming from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/never-assume-you-know-where-someone-else-is-coming-from/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) > [Never assume someone is smarter than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/never-assume-someone-is-smarter-than-you/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/never-assume-the-other-fellow-will-not-do-something-you-wouldn-t-do/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Never assume you understand. Ask the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/never-assume-you-understand-ask-the-questions/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It is very curious that the United States and Canada both assume that diversity means only race and ethnicity. They never assume it might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/it-is-very-curious-that-the-united-states-and-canada-both-assume-that/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [Never assume greatness is for someone else. Imagine every day that you too can do great things. Have the courage to take the challenge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-chastain/never-assume-greatness-is-for-someone-else-imagine-every-day-that-you/) [Brandi Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-chastain/) > [Never assume that you have attained truth. Don't make any claim to knowledge. Form no conclusion or evaluation concerning truth. The minute you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/never-assume-that-you-have-attained-truth-don-t-make-any-claim-to/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [I'd never assume an audience was anything but totally receptive and perfect. Seriously, it seems to me that's the only circumstance you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/i-d-never-assume-an-audience-was-anything-but-totally-receptive-and/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/never-forget-what-jesus-did-for-you-never-take-lightly-what-it-cost/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [You should never assume anything coming from a critical standpoint. You should go into everything assuming you're going to get crushed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/you-should-never-assume-anything-coming-from-a-critical-standpoint/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [I never assumed I would have that commercial success, so it was a total surprise. And honestly, I never assumed that it would ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-never-assumed-i-would-have-that-commercial-success-so-it-was-a/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/never-assume-that-you-can-make-it-alone-you-need-the-help-of-the-lord/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## More by George Henry Lewes > [Heart and Brain are the two lords of life. In the metaphors of ordinary speech and in the stricter language of science, we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/heart-and-brain-are-the-two-lords-of-life-in-the-metaphors-of/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [It is unhappily true that much insincere Literature and Art, executed solely with a view to effect, does succeed by deceiving the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/it-is-unhappily-true-that-much-insincere-literature-and-art-executed/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [I have always considered The Merry Wives one of the worst plays, if not altogether the worst, that Shakespeare has left us. The wit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/i-have-always-considered-the-merry-wives-one-of-the-worst-plays-if/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [Literature is at once the cause and the effect of social progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/literature-is-at-once-the-cause-and-the-effect-of-social-progress/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [Science is the systematic classification of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/science-is-the-systematic-classification-of-experience/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [In complex trains of thought signs are indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/in-complex-trains-of-thought-signs-are-indispensable/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [Literature is at once the cause and the effect of social progress. It deepens our natural sensibilities, and strengthens by exercise our intellectual capacities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/literature-is-at-once-the-cause-and-the-effect-of-social-progress-it/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [If you feel yourself to be above the mass, speak so as to raise the mass to the height of your argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/if-you-feel-yourself-to-be-above-the-mass-speak-so-as-to-raise-the/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [The artist is called a creator...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/the-artist-is-called-a-creator/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [To some men popularity is always suspicious. Enjoying none themselves, they are prone to suspect the validity of those attainments which command it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/to-some-men-popularity-is-always-suspicious-enjoying-none-themselves/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [The art of writing is not, as many seem to imagine, the art of bringing fine phrases into rhythmical order, but the art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/the-art-of-writing-is-not-as-many-seem-to-imagine-the-art-of-bringing/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [Literature delivers tidings of the world within and the world without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/literature-delivers-tidings-of-the-world-within-and-the-world-without/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [If the members of a class do not understand -- if those directly addressed fail to listen, or listening, fail to recognize a power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/if-the-members-of-a-class-do-not-understand-if-those-directly/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [No man was ever eloquent by trying to be eloquent, but only by being so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/no-man-was-ever-eloquent-by-trying-to-be-eloquent-but-only-by-being-so/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [To love is for the Soul to choose a companion, and travel with it along the perilous defiles and winding ways of life; mutually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/to-love-is-for-the-soul-to-choose-a-companion-and-travel-with-it/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) [Explore all 109 George Henry Lewes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) ## More Assume quotes > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [Nobody really knows everything, and they can only assume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/nobody-really-knows-everything-and-they-can-only-assume/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [“I just mean, sometimes two people do something unexpected and then by that simple act alone, it just seems they automatically assume it's now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-amo/i-just-mean-sometimes-two-people-do-something-unexpected-and-then-by/) [Thomas Amo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-amo/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [Is it philosophical, is it quite allowable, to assume without evidence from fossil plants that the family or any of the genera was once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/is-it-philosophical-is-it-quite-allowable-to-assume-without-evidence/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [We should not assume; however, that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/we-should-not-assume-however-that-just-because-something-is/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [I think a lot of fans immediately go, 'ugggh' when they hear that someone is doing a prequel or a remake, they sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/i-think-a-lot-of-fans-immediately-go-ugggh-when-they-hear-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [You can never assume that something is going to do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/you-can-never-assume-that-something-is-going-to-do-well/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [What we assume, what we have never clearly thought out, controls us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-t-kelsey/what-we-assume-what-we-have-never-clearly-thought-out-controls-us/) [Morton T. Kelsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-t-kelsey/) > [Do not always assume the other fellow has intelligence equal to yours. He may have more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-thomas/do-not-always-assume-the-other-fellow-has-intelligence-equal-to-yours/) Terry-Thomas > [Americans assume all British people have at least one servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/americans-assume-all-british-people-have-at-least-one-servant/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [ If \[Barack\] Obama or the boss or the newspapers or anyone else tells you they're doing this, that, or the other thing, dismiss it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-barack-obama-or-the-boss-or-the-newspapers-or-anyone-else-tells/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) Browse all 542 Assume quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Henry Lewes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incapable-of-proof/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assume" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incapable-of-proof/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccf/george-henry-lewes-4544_assuming_we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incap_2092665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.” — George Henry Lewes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Henry Lewes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must never assume that which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incapable-of-proof/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/we-must-never-assume-that-which-is-incapable-of-proof/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```