--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That is the first thing I know for sure…" description: "\"That is the first thing I know for sure: (1.) If the questions don't make sense, neither will the answers.\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_that-is-the-first-thing-i-know-for-sure_200376.jpg" --- # That is the first thing I know for sure: (1.) If the… ![“That is the first thing I know for sure: (1.) If the questions don't make sense, neither will the answers.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_that-is-the-first-thing-i-know-for-sure_200376.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_that-is-the-first-thing-i-know-for-sure_200376.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_that-is-the-first-thing-i-know-for-sure_200376.jpg) > “That is the first thing I know for sure: (1.) If the questions don't make sense, neither will the answers.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If the questions posed are unclear, the resulting answers will also be unclear, highlighting the need for clear thinking. **In simple terms:** Clear questions lead to clear answers. Key Takeaway Clarify before you answer. Themes critical thinking communication logic Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - problem solving - teaching - research - decision making Key Concepts philosophy epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve question clarity? - What happens when assumptions are hidden? A Different Perspective Complex issues may not simplify even with clear questions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“all I feel sure of are questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/all-i-feel-sure-of-are-questions/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [“If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that nothing is ever sure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/if-there-s-one-thing-i-know-for-sure-it-s-that-nothing-is-ever-sure/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [The only thing about myself I know for sure is that I don't know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/the-only-thing-about-myself-i-know-for-sure-is-that-i-don-t-know/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [“The only thing we know for sure is that he's \*not\* a vegetarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lutz/the-only-thing-we-know-for-sure-is-that-he-s-not-a-vegetarian/) Ivan Lutz > [“The Only Thing I Know For Sure Is That I Know Nothing At All, For Sure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrate/the-only-thing-i-know-for-sure-is-that-i-know-nothing-at-all-for-sure/) Socrate > [.I may not know everything, but there's one thing that I know and am sure of I love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/i-may-not-know-everything-but-there-s-one-thing-that-i-know-and-am/) Hemantsmarty > [The only thing I know for sure is how much I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/the-only-thing-i-know-for-sure-is-how-much-i-do-not-know/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I wanted all things To seem to make some sense, So we could all be happy, yes, Instead of tense. And I made up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-wanted-all-things-to-seem-to-make-some-sense-so-we-could-all-be/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Is this really what you wanted is this really what you yeahhhhh even though I dont know you I know for sure I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blessthefall/is-this-really-what-you-wanted-is-this-really-what-you-yeahhhhh-even/) Blessthefall > [“As they say, it’s possible to kill and to revive someone using a proper speech. I agree with the statement because I know for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahara-sanders/as-they-say-it-s-possible-to-kill-and-to-revive-someone-using-a/) [Sahara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahara-sanders/) > [It was such a relief to win. You tell yourself you can do it, but until you do you don't know for sure. 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If I'm not sure about something, I'll say I'm not sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/if-i-don-t-know-something-i-ll-tell-you-i-don-t-know-it-if-i-m-not/) [Stephanie Winston Wolkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/) > [“I don't know for sure where I'm going to end up. But I know who I love. And I'm figuring out that might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-don-t-know-for-sure-where-i-m-going-to-end-up-but-i-know-who-i-love/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. 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And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. 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It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That is the first thing I know for sure: (1.) 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