--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How do we know that we exist? No one…" description: "\"“How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you say. I think, therefore I exist. But how do you know that you think? No one knows that either...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg" --- # How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you… ![“How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you say. I think, therefore I exist. But how do you know that you think? No one knows that either. You just do.” quote by J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg) > ““How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you say. I think, therefore I exist. But how do you know that you think? No one knows that either. You just do.”” [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions epistemic certainty, suggesting existence is known through the act of thinking, not through external proof. **In simple terms:** We know we exist because we think. Key Takeaway Trust your own conscious experience. Themes philosophy epistemology existentialism Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - meditation - psychotherapy - decision making Key Concepts self-awareness cogito ergo sum skepticism Questions to Reflect On - What evidence do you have of your own thoughts? - Can you be certain of any mental state? A Different Perspective It assumes thinking is always present, ignoring states like deep unconsciousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exist Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-know-576463/) [Exist Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-knows-5456478/) [Know Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-exist-372137/) [Think Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-exist-1253030/) [Think Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-knows-587930/) ## Related quotes > [We both exist and know that we exist, and rejoice in this knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/we-both-exist-and-know-that-we-exist-and-rejoice-in-this-knowledge/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“For you are you, and I am I, and once we were we… but as long as I exist and so do you –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranata-suzuki/for-you-are-you-and-i-am-i-and-once-we-were-we-but-as-long-as-i-exist/) [Ranata Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranata-suzuki/) > [“Sometimes...around some people, I feel like I have to, like...try, you know?...But with you-- when I'm with you, I can just...exist. You know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/sometimes-around-some-people-i-feel-like-i-have-to-like-try-you-know/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“By knowing what exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void. People in this world look at things mistakenly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/by-knowing-what-exist-you-can-know-that-which-does-not-exist-that-is/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“First, the fact that something cannot be seen does not presuppose that it doesn’t exist. We know that black holes, electrons, the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-hanegraaff/first-the-fact-that-something-cannot-be-seen-does-not-presuppose-that/) [Hank Hanegraaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-hanegraaff/) > [“You know who Mr. Darcy is?" "I exist, therefore I know who Mr. Darcy is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/you-know-who-mr-darcy-is-i-exist-therefore-i-know-who-mr-darcy-is/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) > [By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/by-knowing-things-that-exist-you-can-know-that-which-does-not-exist/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Thus I am not able to exist either with you or without you; and I seem not to know my own wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/thus-i-am-not-able-to-exist-either-with-you-or-without-you-and-i-seem/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [For all we know God may exist. For all we know we may not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-all-we-know-god-may-exist-for-all-we-know-we-may-not/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We are born to Exist, not to know, to be, not to assert ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/we-are-born-to-exist-not-to-know-to-be-not-to-assert-ourselves/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [I almost do not exist now and I know it; God knows what lives in me in place of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/i-almost-do-not-exist-now-and-i-know-it-god-knows-what-lives-in-me-in/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [I think I exist,' he said wearily. 'I am conscious of my own identity. I was born, and I shall die. I have arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/i-think-i-exist-he-said-wearily-i-am-conscious-of-my-own-identity-i/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We always find something, eh Didi, to let us think we exist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/we-always-find-something-eh-didi-to-let-us-think-we-exist/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“You do not exist. I think I exist. I am conscious of my own identity. I was born, and I shall die. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/you-do-not-exist-i-think-i-exist-i-am-conscious-of-my-own-identity-i/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The problem is we think we exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/the-problem-is-we-think-we-exist/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) ## More by J Budziszewski > [“We are passing through an eerie phase of history in which the things that everyone really knows are treated as unheard-of doctrines, a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/we-are-passing-through-an-eerie-phase-of-history-in-which-the-things/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“Only good was created. Every evil thing is a good thing ruined. There are no other ways to get an evil thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/only-good-was-created-every-evil-thing-is-a-good-thing-ruined-there/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“Friedrich Nietzsche, originator of the slogan “God is dead”, reported that at times he was overcome by gratitude. This admission is most interesting, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/friedrich-nietzsche-originator-of-the-slogan-god-is-dead-reported/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“plurality without Design is merely chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/plurality-without-design-is-merely-chaos/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“I mention this only because it seems to be a real obstacle for contemporary people. We don’t want the freedom of the creature but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/i-mention-this-only-because-it-seems-to-be-a-real-obstacle-for/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“from a Second Vatican Council document: “The truth is that only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/from-a-second-vatican-council-document-the-truth-is-that-only-in-the/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“Why is there something, rather than nothing?” is a question that anyone can ask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/why-is-there-something-rather-than-nothing-is-a-question-that-anyone/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) > [“C. S. Lewis once wrote that man has two clues to the meaning of the universe. One is the knowledge of a law that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/c-s-lewis-once-wrote-that-man-has-two-clues-to-the-meaning-of-the/) [J Budziszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) [Explore all 9 J Budziszewski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/) ## More Know Exist quotes > [Happiness, I do not know where to turn to discover you on earth, in the air or the sky; yet I know you exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia-de-castro/happiness-i-do-not-know-where-to-turn-to-discover-you-on-earth-in-the/) [Rosalia de Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia-de-castro/) > [The late philosopher Morris R. Cohen of CCNY was asked by a student in the metaphysics course, Professor Cohen, how do I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/the-late-philosopher-morris-r-cohen-of-ccny-was-asked-by-a-student-in/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [In the desire of the One to know Himself, We exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/in-the-desire-of-the-one-to-know-himself-we-exist/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Do you love me? Do you know I exist are we friends I think we are but I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1d-fan-123/do-you-love-me-do-you-know-i-exist-are-we-friends-i-think-we-are-but/) [1D Fan 123](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/1d-fan-123/) > [Being in love with someone who doesn't even know that you exist isn't the worst thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-hurley/being-in-love-with-someone-who-doesn-t-even-know-that-you-exist-isn-t/) [Tonya Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-hurley/) > [“Monsters can live inside a person. Sometimes, they know about it. More often, they don’t. The monster makes them feel safe, or at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rae/monsters-can-live-inside-a-person-sometimes-they-know-about-it-more/) [Nikki Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rae/) > [Yeah, you may think you're just some regular guy. Yeah, you may think that the girl you like doesn't even know you exist. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/yeah-you-may-think-you-re-just-some-regular-guy-yeah-you-may-think/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [I miss him like he died. The only problem is, he doesn't know I exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beka-mackey/i-miss-him-like-he-died-the-only-problem-is-he-doesn-t-know-i-exist/) [Beka Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beka-mackey/) > [I know that I exist; the question is, What is this 'I' that 'I' know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/i-know-that-i-exist-the-question-is-what-is-this-i-that-i-know/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [I want to know why we exist and what I can do while I'm existing. Basically. it's learning how to exist, wholely, consciously. Growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-want-to-know-why-we-exist-and-what-i-can-do-while-i-m-existing/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [While all the things you believe and know exist in their own right, they're ways of looking at existence, but existence is infinite -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/while-all-the-things-you-believe-and-know-exist-in-their-own-right/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-not-going-to-speak-up-how-is-the-world-supposed-to-know-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Did you know we are all here but not and all exist but are made of nothing and are part if the life's waterfall”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoolio-rodriguez/did-you-know-we-are-all-here-but-not-and-all-exist-but-are-made-of/) [hoolio rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoolio-rodriguez/) > [I don't even know if I exist offstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-even-know-if-i-exist-offstage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We both exist and know that we exist, and rejoice in this knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/we-both-exist-and-know-that-we-exist-and-rejoice-in-this-knowledge/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) [Browse all 44 Know Exist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-exist-372137/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you say. I think, therefore I exist. But how do you know that you think? No one knows that either. You just do.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J Budziszewski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-knows-not-so-you-say-i-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Know Exist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-knows-not-so-you-say-i-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/j-budziszewski-2-45573_know-exist_how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-know_1492653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How do we know that we exist? No one knows. Not so, you say. I think, therefore I exist. But how do you know…” — J Budziszewski", "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": "J Budziszewski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-budziszewski-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“How do we know that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-knows-not-so-you-say-i-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-budziszewski-2/how-do-we-know-that-we-exist-no-one-knows-not-so-you-say-i-think/#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 } } ] } ```