---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True wisdom, which is not certain of…"
description: "\"“True wisdom, which is not certain of anything in this world of contradictions, would have prevented him from attaining his present position. It would ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/joseph-conrad-336_true-wisdom_true-wisdom-which-is-not-certain-of-anyt_2536473.jpg"
---

#  True wisdom, which is not certain of anything in this…

![“True wisdom, which is not certain of anything in this world of contradictions, would have prevented him from attaining his present position. It would have alarmed his superiors, and done away with his chances of promotion.” quote by Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/joseph-conrad-336_true-wisdom_true-wisdom-which-is-not-certain-of-anyt_2536473.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/joseph-conrad-336_true-wisdom_true-wisdom-which-is-not-certain-of-anyt_2536473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/joseph-conrad-336_true-wisdom_true-wisdom-which-is-not-certain-of-anyt_2536473.jpg)

> ““True wisdom, which is not certain of anything in this world of contradictions, would have prevented him from attaining his present position. It would have alarmed his superiors, and done away with his chances of promotion.””

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

## 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 suggests that absolute certainty is impossible amid contradictions, and that wisdom would have made him cautious, limiting his ambition and advancement.

**In simple terms:** Certainty is impossible; wisdom can curb ambition.

Key Takeaway

Embrace uncertainty, temper ambition.

Themes

wisdom uncertainty ambition

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- leadership
- ethical dilemmas
- political maneuvering

Key Concepts

philosophy human nature

Questions to Reflect On

- How does certainty affect decision making?
- When should ambition be restrained?

A Different Perspective

Overcautiousness may hinder progress.

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[True wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-wisdom/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

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[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [True wisdom, laboring to expound, heareth others readily; False wisdom, sturdy to deny, closeth up her mind to argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-farquhar-tupper/true-wisdom-laboring-to-expound-heareth-others-readily-false-wisdom/)

[Martin Farquhar Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-farquhar-tupper/)

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> [Why should we desire the destruction of human passions? Take passions from human beings and what is left? The great object should be not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/why-should-we-desire-the-destruction-of-human-passions-take-passions/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

> [“tapping into the Monomyth of the hero's journey which, to simplify the premise, says that there can be no true wisdom gained without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-parnell/tapping-into-the-monomyth-of-the-hero-s-journey-which-to-simplify-the/)

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> [True wisdom gives the only possible answer at any given moment, and that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/true-wisdom-gives-the-only-possible-answer-at-any-given-moment-and/)

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[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

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[Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/)

## More by Joseph Conrad

> [“Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch, messengers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/hunters-for-gold-or-pursuers-of-fame-they-all-had-gone-out-on-that/)

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[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“Let the earth and the sea each have its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/let-the-earth-and-the-sea-each-have-its-own/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

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[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“A fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-fool-what-with-sheer-fright-and-fine-sentiments-is-always-safe/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

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[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

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[Explore all 645 Joseph Conrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

## More True wisdom quotes

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

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> [True wisdom gives the only possible answer at any given moment, and that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/true-wisdom-gives-the-only-possible-answer-at-any-given-moment-and/)

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