Certainty Quote by Joseph Glanvill
“That though we are certain ofmany things, yet that Certainty is no absolute Infallibility, there still remainsthe possibility of our being mistaken in all matters of humane Belief and Inquiry.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Philosophical Essays, 1665
Human knowledge is fallible; certainty does not guarantee infallibility, and we may be wrong about all beliefs.
In simple terms: Certainty isn’t absolute; we can be mistaken.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions and stay open to revision.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
humility
Mood
thoughtful
critical
inquisitive
Type
reflective
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal belief formation
- scientific research
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
Fallibility
skepticism
inquiry
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you test the certainty of your core beliefs?
- What evidence would change your view?
A Different Perspective
Human bias can obscure error, leading to overconfidence.
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)