--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Knowledge being to be had only of visible…" description: "\"Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a mistake of our judgment, giving assent to tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png" --- # Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain… ![“Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a mistake of our judgment, giving assent to that which is not true.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png) > “Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a mistake of our judgment, giving assent to that which is not true.” [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge arises from clear, certain truths; errors stem from faulty judgment when we accept falsehoods. **In simple terms:** Mistakes happen when we trust false ideas. Key Takeaway Check evidence before believing. Themes epistemology truth judgment Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic research - daily decision making - media consumption Key Concepts empiricism skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a claim? - What biases affect your judgment? A Different Perspective Human bias can still lead to error despite careful checking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assent/) [Assent True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assent-true-3079624/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Faults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faults/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-mistake-3079622/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-judgment-3079623/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Error](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-error-369697/) [Visible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visible/) ## Related quotes > [Faith must become more than a verbal proclamation or an intellectual assent. True faith must be acted out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fuller/faith-must-become-more-than-a-verbal-proclamation-or-an-intellectual/) [Millard Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fuller/) > [A mistake in judgment isn't fatal, but too much anxiety about judgment is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/a-mistake-in-judgment-isn-t-fatal-but-too-much-anxiety-about-judgment/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-making-a-serious-mistake-in/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There was a time when our desire for each other would have landed us in an asylum or prison, had it not been sanctioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-krauser/there-was-a-time-when-our-desire-for-each-other-would-have-landed-us/) [Lawrence Krauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-krauser/) > [Faith is the assent to any proposition not made out by the deduction of reason but upon the credit of the proposer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/faith-is-the-assent-to-any-proposition-not-made-out-by-the-deduction/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [It is therefore worthwhile, to search out the bounds between opinion and knowledge; and examine by what measures, in things, whereof we have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/it-is-therefore-worthwhile-to-search-out-the-bounds-between-opinion/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [It is a human tendency "to measure truth and error by our capacity."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/it-is-a-human-tendency-to-measure-truth-and-error-by-our-capacity/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [It is much easier to meet with error than to find truth; error is on the surface, and can be more easily met with;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-much-easier-to-meet-with-error-than-to-find-truth-error-is-on/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does the truth become error because nobody will see it. ( Young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-error-does-not-become-truth-by-reason-of-multiplied-propagation/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There is a soul of truth in error; there is a soul of good in evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-soul-of-truth-in-error-there-is-a-soul-of-good-in-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Error is a supposition that pleasure and pain, that intelligence, substance, life, are existent in matter. Error is neither Mind nor one of Mind's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/error-is-a-supposition-that-pleasure-and-pain-that-intelligence/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [We are cast as combatants in the war between truth and error. There is no middle ground. We must stand up for truth, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/we-are-cast-as-combatants-in-the-war-between-truth-and-error-there-is/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [“Never in the history of the world have we had easier access to more information - some of it true, some of it false,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/never-in-the-history-of-the-world-have-we-had-easier-access-to-more/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“It was a matter of showing by what conjunctions a whole set of practices-- from the moment they became coordinated with a regime of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/it-was-a-matter-of-showing-by-what-conjunctions-a-whole-set-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Truth is error burned up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-o-brown/truth-is-error-burned-up/) [Norman O. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-o-brown/) ## More by John Locke > [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I pretend not to teach, but to inquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-pretend-not-to-teach-but-to-inquire/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [If we trace the progress of our minds, and with attention observe how it repeats, adds together, and unites its simple ideas received from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-we-trace-the-progress-of-our-minds-and-with-attention-observe-how/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [ “\[M\]an is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/m-an-is-not-permitted-without-censure-to-follow-his-own-thoughts-in/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Fashion for the most part is nothing but the ostentation of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/fashion-for-the-most-part-is-nothing-but-the-ostentation-of-riches/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [When we know our own strength, we shall the better know what to undertake with hopes of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/when-we-know-our-own-strength-we-shall-the-better-know-what-to/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/every-man-has-a-property-in-his-own-person-this-nobody-has-a-right-to/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“Earthly minds, like mud-walls, resist the strongest batteries: And though perhaps sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some impression, yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/earthly-minds-like-mud-walls-resist-the-strongest-batteries-and/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“To avoid this state of war (wherein there is no appeal but to heaven, and wherein every the least difference is apt to end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/to-avoid-this-state-of-war-wherein-there-is-no-appeal-but-to-heaven/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [If by gaining knowledge we destroy our health, we labour for a thing that will be useless in our hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-by-gaining-knowledge-we-destroy-our-health-we-labour-for-a-thing/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Power to do good is the true and lawful act of aspiring; for good thoughts (though God accept them), yet towards men are little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/power-to-do-good-is-the-true-and-lawful-act-of-aspiring-for-good/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [The body of People may with Respect resist intolerable Tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-body-of-people-may-with-respect-resist-intolerable-tyranny/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Anger is uneasiness or discomposure of the mind upon the receipt of any injury, with a present purpose of revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/anger-is-uneasiness-or-discomposure-of-the-mind-upon-the-receipt-of/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) [Explore all 355 John Locke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## More Assent quotes > [I find myself frequently placed where I dare give neither assent nor dissent to propositions that are submitted to me; for there is danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/i-find-myself-frequently-placed-where-i-dare-give-neither-assent-nor/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [I trust the time is nigh when, with the universal assent of civilized people, all international differences shall be determined without resort to arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-a-arthur/i-trust-the-time-is-nigh-when-with-the-universal-assent-of-civilized/) [Chester A. Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-a-arthur/) > [“To fail to experience gratitude when walking through the corridors of the Metropolitan Museum, when listening to the music of Bach or Beethoven, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley/to-fail-to-experience-gratitude-when-walking-through-the-corridors-of/) [William F. Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley/) > [not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of . . . but to place before mankind the common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/not-to-find-out-new-principles-or-new-arguments-never-before-thought/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It is also certain that when we assent to some piece of reasoning when our perception of it is lacking, then either we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/it-is-also-certain-that-when-we-assent-to-some-piece-of-reasoning/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Be-and yet know the great void where all things begin, the infinite source of your own most intense vibration, so that, this once, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/be-and-yet-know-the-great-void-where-all-things-begin-the-infinite/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Every formula of every religion has in this age of reason, to submit to the acid test of reason and universal assent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-formula-of-every-religion-has-in-this-age-of-reason-to-submit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/when-people-are-forced-to-remain-silent-when-they-are-being-told-the/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.' I suppose that apples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-science-fact-can-only-mean-confirmed-to-such-a-degree-that-it/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I hope you realize, in a democracy, laughter is assent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-hope-you-realize-in-a-democracy-laughter-is-assent/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Assent - and you are sane - Demur - and you're straightaway dangerous - and handled with a chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/assent-and-you-are-sane-demur-and-you-re-straightaway-dangerous-and/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“May I inquire what is the point?” he snapped impatiently. “Indeed you may,” Lucinda said, thinking madly for some way to prod him into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/may-i-inquire-what-is-the-point-he-snapped-impatiently-indeed-you-may/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [It is your own assent to yourself, and the constant voice of your own reason, and not of others, that should make you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/it-is-your-own-assent-to-yourself-and-the-constant-voice-of-your-own/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“Belief, in this sense, seems to me to be assent to a proposition which we think so overwhelmingly probable that there is a psychological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/belief-in-this-sense-seems-to-me-to-be-assent-to-a-proposition-which/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“How easy it is to read the Scriptures and give a kind of nominal assent to the truth and yet never to appropriate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/how-easy-it-is-to-read-the-scriptures-and-give-a-kind-of-nominal/) [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/) [Browse all 48 Assent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a mistake of our judgment, giving assent to that which is not true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Locke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visible-and-certain-truth-error-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visible-and-certain-truth-error-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/john-locke-814_assent_knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visibl_1127392.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a…” — John Locke", "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": "John Locke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Knowledge being to be had only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visible-and-certain-truth-error-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visible-and-certain-truth-error-is/#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 } } ] } ```