--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest and saddest defect is not…" description: "\"The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an habitual forgetfulness that our science is ignorance.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg" --- # The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an… ![“The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an habitual forgetfulness that our science is ignorance.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg) > “The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an habitual forgetfulness that our science is ignorance.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science is often mistaken for certainty, yet it is fundamentally built on unknowns and our tendency to forget this. **In simple terms:** Science is ignorance masked as knowledge. Key Takeaway Remember humility in learning. Themes humility science ignorance Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - public policy - education - personal growth Key Concepts epistemology skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you confront your own knowledge gaps? - What practices keep you humble? A Different Perspective Assuming knowledge can lead to overconfidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Forgetfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetfulness/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Saddest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddest/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [There are many aspects of the universe that still cannot be explained satisfactorily by science; but ignorance implies only ignorance that may someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-are-many-aspects-of-the-universe-that-still-cannot-be-explained/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [There is no supernatural, there is only nature. Nature alone exists and contains all. All is. There is the part of nature that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-no-supernatural-there-is-only-nature-nature-alone-exists-and/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Evolution is a fact, as securely established as any in science, and he who denies it betrays woeful ignorance and lack of education, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/evolution-is-a-fact-as-securely-established-as-any-in-science-and-he-2/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Nothing more strikingly betrays the credulity of mankind than medicine. Quackery is a thing universal, and universally successful. In this case it becomes literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nothing-more-strikingly-betrays-the-credulity-of-mankind-than/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Long as I have lived, and many blasphemers as I have heard and seen, I have never yet heard or witnessed any direct and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/long-as-i-have-lived-and-many-blasphemers-as-i-have-heard-and-seen-i/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is no more dusky in ordinary nights than our mind's habitual atmosphere, and the moonlight is as bright as our most illuminatedmoments are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-no-more-dusky-in-ordinary-nights-than-our-mind-s-habitual/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is only necessary to behold the least fact or phenomenon, however familiar, from a point a hair's breadth aside from our habitual path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-only-necessary-to-behold-the-least-fact-or-phenomenon-however/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What the light of your mind, which is the direct inspiration of the Almighty, pronounces incredible, that, in God's name, leave uncredited. At your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-the-light-of-your-mind-which-is-the-direct-inspiration-of-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The New Age movement looks like a mixed bag. I see much in it that seems good: It's optimistic; it's enthusiastic; it has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-new-age-movement-looks-like-a-mixed-bag-i-see-much-in-it-that/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Cunning has effect from the credulity of others, rather than from the abilities of those who are cunning. It requires no extraordinary talents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/cunning-has-effect-from-the-credulity-of-others-rather-than-from-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Hatred as well as love, renders its votaries credulous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hatred-as-well-as-love-renders-its-votaries-credulous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Her expression was oafish, but it was on the whole this quality that gave her face a certain retentive efficacy. She had the look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/her-expression-was-oafish-but-it-was-on-the-whole-this-quality-that/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Credulity is belief in slight evidence, with no evidence, or against evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/credulity-is-belief-in-slight-evidence-with-no-evidence-or-against/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Credulity quotes > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Credulity is belief in slight evidence, with no evidence, or against evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/credulity-is-belief-in-slight-evidence-with-no-evidence-or-against/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Her expression was oafish, but it was on the whole this quality that gave her face a certain retentive efficacy. She had the look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/her-expression-was-oafish-but-it-was-on-the-whole-this-quality-that/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [Hatred as well as love, renders its votaries credulous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hatred-as-well-as-love-renders-its-votaries-credulous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cunning has effect from the credulity of others, rather than from the abilities of those who are cunning. It requires no extraordinary talents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/cunning-has-effect-from-the-credulity-of-others-rather-than-from-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The New Age movement looks like a mixed bag. I see much in it that seems good: It's optimistic; it's enthusiastic; it has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/the-new-age-movement-looks-like-a-mixed-bag-i-see-much-in-it-that/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [What the light of your mind, which is the direct inspiration of the Almighty, pronounces incredible, that, in God's name, leave uncredited. At your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-the-light-of-your-mind-which-is-the-direct-inspiration-of-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Fear, if it be not immoderate, puts a guard about us that does watch and defend us; but credulity keeps us naked, and lays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/fear-if-it-be-not-immoderate-puts-a-guard-about-us-that-does-watch/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [If I could do just one thing, it would be to dissociate faith from virtue, now and for good, and to expose it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/if-i-could-do-just-one-thing-it-would-be-to-dissociate-faith-from/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Credulity is the man's weakness, but the child's strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/credulity-is-the-man-s-weakness-but-the-child-s-strength/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [The State is not force alone. It depends upon the credulity of man quite as much as upon his docility. Its aim is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-state-is-not-force-alone-it-depends-upon-the-credulity-of-man/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I prefer credulity to skepticism and cynicism for there is more promise in almost anything than in nothing at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-prefer-credulity-to-skepticism-and-cynicism-for-there-is-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In short, if youth is not quite right in its opinions, there is a strong probability that age is not much more so. Undying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/in-short-if-youth-is-not-quite-right-in-its-opinions-there-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [That day, I began to be incredulous. Or, rather, I regretted having been credulous. I regretted having allowed myself to be borne away by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-day-i-began-to-be-incredulous-or-rather-i-regretted-having-been/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 185 Credulity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an habitual forgetfulness that our science is ignorance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-credulity-but-an-habitual/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Credulity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-credulity-but-an-habitual/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/henry-david-thoreau-20_credulity_the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-c_2061987.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest and saddest defect is not credulity, but an habitual forgetfulness that our science is ignorance.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest and saddest defect is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-credulity-but-an-habitual/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-greatest-and-saddest-defect-is-not-credulity-but-an-habitual/#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 } } ] } ```