---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest part cannot know, and…"
description: "\"The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.\" — John Locke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png"
---

#  The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must…

![“The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png)

> “The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.”

[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.

Human knowledge is limited; when we cannot know, we resort to belief.

**In simple terms:** We believe when we lack knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty, seek evidence.

Themes

knowledge belief uncertainty epistemology

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- science
- religion
- personal decisions
- political discourse

Key Concepts

rationalism empiricism faith

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you distinguish belief from knowledge?
- When is belief justified?

A Different Perspective

Belief can be misguided without critical examination.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Greatest Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-know-2445358/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-believe-378945/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/)

## Related quotes

> [Eminem has been someone that I've always considered the greatest ever, to ever do it. You know what I mean? In every aspect, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyner-lucas/eminem-has-been-someone-that-i-ve-always-considered-the-greatest-ever/)

[Joyner Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyner-lucas/)

> [I think God is the greatest. I know where I came from, and I can still go any second, if I chose that route.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westside-gunn/i-think-god-is-the-greatest-i-know-where-i-came-from-and-i-can-still/)

[Westside Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westside-gunn/)

> [In my mind, I know I'm one of the greatest. I know other people don't think that, but in my mind, I know I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-ortiz/in-my-mind-i-know-i-m-one-of-the-greatest-i-know-other-people-don-t/)

[Tito Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-ortiz/)

> [“Love what you do, Know what you do, Believe in what you do, and Success and Money will always come to You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-g-sandru/love-what-you-do-know-what-you-do-believe-in-what-you-do-and-success/)

[D.G. Sandru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-g-sandru/)

> [We never know, believe me, when we have succeeded best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/we-never-know-believe-me-when-we-have-succeeded-best/)

[Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/)

> [I might not ever fully know who I am, but I also believe that I could be whoever I want, whenever I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/i-might-not-ever-fully-know-who-i-am-but-i-also-believe-that-i-could/)

[Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/)

> [“At its Greek root, "to believe" simply means "to give one's heart to." Thus, if we can determine what it is we give our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/at-its-greek-root-to-believe-simply-means-to-give-one-s-heart-to-thus/)

[Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/)

> [Today, begin to believe right by choosing to know and believe in the powerful truths of God’s Word and in His love for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/today-begin-to-believe-right-by-choosing-to-know-and-believe-in-the/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [“It seems the more we know, the less we believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-b-morse/it-seems-the-more-we-know-the-less-we-believe/)

[J.S.B. Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-b-morse/)

> [Faith is not a blind, irrational conviction. In order to believe, we must know what we believe, and the grounds on which our faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hodge/faith-is-not-a-blind-irrational-conviction-in-order-to-believe-we/)

[Charles Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hodge/)

> [I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-know-what-i-believe-i-will-continue-to-articulate-what-i-believe/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [We don't really know what we believe in or care about until what we believe in or care about is threatened, challenged, or measured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/we-don-t-really-know-what-we-believe-in-or-care-about-until-what-we/)

[Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/)

> [I don't know what I believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-don-t-know-what-i-believe/)

[Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/)

> [We know in whom we believe, and that, so long as we trust God utterly, all must come right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/we-know-in-whom-we-believe-and-that-so-long-as-we-trust-god-utterly/)

[Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/)

> [To believe is to know you believe, and to know you believe is not to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/to-believe-is-to-know-you-believe-and-to-know-you-believe-is-not-to/)

[Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/)

## 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 Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Locke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-therefore-they-must-believe/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-therefore-they-must-believe/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/john-locke-814_believe_the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-theref_2062387.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.” — 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": "The greatest part cannot know, and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-therefore-they-must-believe/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-greatest-part-cannot-know-and-therefore-they-must-believe/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
