Knowledge Quote by Henry Sidgwick
“We think so because all other people think so; Or because-or because-after all, we do think so; Or because we were told so, and think we must think so; Or because we once thought so, and think we still think so; Or because, having thought so, we think we will think so.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Principles of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick, 1874
People adopt beliefs because of social influence, authority, habit, and self‑reinforcement, creating a feedback loop of conformity.
In simple terms: We think what we think due to others and our own habits.
Key Takeaway
Question why you hold a belief.
Themes
conformity
influence
habit
self‑reinforcement
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- group decision making
- personal belief formation
- marketing
- education
Key Concepts
social psychology
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you examine the origins of your convictions?
- How does group pressure shape your opinions?
A Different Perspective
Beliefs may be irrational or outdated despite repetition.
![“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions of phantasmatical seeming philosophy." [William Petty]” quote by Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5a/carl-zimmer-16331_knowledge_i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted_1770.jpg)
