Certainty Quote by Isaac Watts
“Do not expect to arrive at certainty in every subject which you pursue. There are a hundred things wherein we mortals. . . must be content with probability, where our best light and reasoning will reach no farther.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Whole Duty of Man, Isaac Watts, 1725
Certainty is unattainable in many areas; we must accept probability and work within its limits.
In simple terms: Accept limits of knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Live with uncertainty.
Themes
epistemology
probability
humility
knowledge limits
faith
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- science
- philosophy
- everyday decision making
Key Concepts
uncertainty tolerance
probabilistic reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- When do you accept probability over certainty?
- How does uncertainty shape your choices?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on certainty can hinder progress; false confidence may arise.
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)