--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether or not huge numbers of people…" description: "\"“Whether or not huge numbers of people believe something has no bearing whatsoever on its truth or validity. In the past, millions believed that the ea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/james-becker-83589_believed_whether-or-not-huge-numbers-of-people-be_189601.jpg" --- # Whether or not huge numbers of people believe something… ![“Whether or not huge numbers of people believe something has no bearing whatsoever on its truth or validity. In the past, millions believed that the earth was flat, and that the sun and the stars revolved around it.” quote by James Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/james-becker-83589_believed_whether-or-not-huge-numbers-of-people-be_189601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/james-becker-83589_believed_whether-or-not-huge-numbers-of-people-be_189601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/james-becker-83589_believed_whether-or-not-huge-numbers-of-people-be_189601.jpg) > ““Whether or not huge numbers of people believe something has no bearing whatsoever on its truth or validity. In the past, millions believed that the earth was flat, and that the sun and the stars revolved around it.”” [James Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-becker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is independent of popular belief; consensus does not determine factual correctness. **In simple terms:** Truth isn’t decided by how many believe it. Key Takeaway Question assumptions, seek evidence. Themes critical thinking truth belief science Mood skeptical inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - debates - education - media analysis - policy making Key Concepts epistemology social psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify truth beyond popular opinion? - What role does consensus play in scientific progress? A Different Perspective Popular belief can hinder acceptance of factual evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) [Believed Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-earth-651514/) [Earth Flat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-flat/) [Millions Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-believed-2006178/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-believe/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [It must first be reiterated that with extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-burton-russell/it-must-first-be-reiterated-that-with-extraordinary-few-exceptions-no/) [Jeffrey Burton Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-burton-russell/) > [I must remind you that our credulity is not to be measured by the truth of the things we believe. When men believed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-must-remind-you-that-our-credulity-is-not-to-be-measured-by-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the Middle Ages people believed that the earth was flat, for which they had at least the evidence of their senses: we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-middle-ages-people-believed-that-the-earth-was-flat-for-which/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“humans believed that the earth was flat and ships venturing across the seas risked sailing off the edge. However, when we proved that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/humans-believed-that-the-earth-was-flat-and-ships-venturing-across/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz, a blind religious scholar who believed the earth was flat because that was how it felt under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elliott-house/sheikh-abdul-aziz-bin-abdullah-bin-baz-a-blind-religious-scholar-who/) [Karen Elliott House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elliott-house/) > [“A myth can be picked up by a whole society, believed and taught to the next generation. Gods, fairies, witches—believing a thing doesn’t make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-myth-can-be-picked-up-by-a-whole-society-believed-and-taught-to-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“No, I’m talking about undiscovered science. A thousand years ago, people believed the earth was flat. Five hundred years ago, doctors thought diseases were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/no-i-m-talking-about-undiscovered-science-a-thousand-years-ago-people/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [All the hundreds of millions of people who, in their time, believed the Earth was flat never succeeded in unrounding it by an inch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/all-the-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-who-in-their-time-believed-the/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [A beloved student of mine told me she believed the earth was approximately 6,000 years old. She was smart, she was thoughtful, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-grodstein/a-beloved-student-of-mine-told-me-she-believed-the-earth-was/) [Lauren Grodstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-grodstein/) > [We find it hard to picture to ourselves the state of mind of a man of older days who firmly believed that the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/we-find-it-hard-to-picture-to-ourselves-the-state-of-mind-of-a-man-of/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“Religion, is a mistake of geography. If you where born in America you are Christan, if you where born in the middle east you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religion-is-a-mistake-of-geography-if-you-where-born-in-america-you/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [THE GUYS IN THE OLD DAYS WHO BELIEVED THE EARTH WAS ROUND MUST HAVE HAD A VERY ROUGH TIME WITH ACADEMIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/the-guys-in-the-old-days-who-believed-the-earth-was-round-must-have/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [If it comes to be believed that we are simply a propaganda organ of some kind, as a lot of people believe about some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/if-it-comes-to-be-believed-that-we-are-simply-a-propaganda-organ-of/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [There was a time when everyone thought that Earth was flat. Did this unanimous consensus make any difference to the shape of Earth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/there-was-a-time-when-everyone-thought-that-earth-was-flat-did-this/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [The church say the earth is flat,but I know that it is round ,for I have seen the shadow on the moon,and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-church-say-the-earth-is-flat-but-i-know-that-it-is-round-for-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by James Becker > [“monitors were shut down when the offices were closed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-becker/monitors-were-shut-down-when-the-offices-were-closed/) [James Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-becker/) > [“My name’s Christopher Bronson, and I’m a detective sergeant. You can call me Chris. You can call me DS Bronson, or you can just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-becker/my-name-s-christopher-bronson-and-i-m-a-detective-sergeant-you-can/) [James Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-becker/) [Explore all 3 James Becker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-becker/) ## More Believed quotes > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [“I didn't know if I believed in 'happily ever after' anymore. I mean, I didn't know what would happen tomorrow, let alone for forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kate-strohm/i-didn-t-know-if-i-believed-in-happily-ever-after-anymore-i-mean-i/) [Stephanie Kate Strohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kate-strohm/) > [Alfred Nobel believed that social changes are brought about slowly, and sometimes by indirect means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertha-von-suttner/alfred-nobel-believed-that-social-changes-are-brought-about-slowly/) [Bertha von Suttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertha-von-suttner/) > [Aaron Spelling always had his finger on the pulse of pop culture, he knew what the public wanted to see. He was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/aaron-spelling-always-had-his-finger-on-the-pulse-of-pop-culture-he/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [I never believed that they was such thing as love at first sight but I think I'm having that feeliing @sarahlovemoody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishack/i-never-believed-that-they-was-such-thing-as-love-at-first-sight-but/) [Mishack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishack/) > [“I wish I believed him. He's looking at me like he can see where I begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcnamara/i-wish-i-believed-him-he-s-looking-at-me-like-he-can-see-where-i-begin/) [Amy McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcnamara/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I never believed I'd have a six-pack, especially not at 35 years old. I always thought it was a genetic blessing. It's not. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sullivan-stapleton/i-never-believed-i-d-have-a-six-pack-especially-not-at-35-years-old-i/) [Sullivan Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sullivan-stapleton/) > [“For a moment, I believed you.” He ordered me, dryly, recovering his usual poise again. He does not only have a selective hearing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tionne-rogers/for-a-moment-i-believed-you-he-ordered-me-dryly-recovering-his-usual/) [Tionne Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tionne-rogers/) > [There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/there-was-a-time-when-idealistic-folksingers-such-as-myself-believed/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I felt uneasy, but sometimes, like I said before, I believed in Col. North and there was a very solid and very valid reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/i-felt-uneasy-but-sometimes-like-i-said-before-i-believed-in-col/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salmon-p-chase/and-upon-this-act-sincerely-believed-to-be-an-act-of-justice/) [Salmon P. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salmon-p-chase/) [Browse all 1,214 Believed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whether or not huge numbers of people believe something has no bearing whatsoever on its truth or validity. 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