--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainty is no guarantor of correctness." description: "\"Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.\" — Margaret Heffernan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg" --- # Certainty is no guarantor of correctness. ![“Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.” quote by Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg) > “Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.” [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Certainty does not guarantee truth; being sure can blind us to errors and alternatives. **In simple terms:** Surety isn’t proof of correctness. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before acting. Themes certaintyertainty critical thinking decision making Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - strategic planning - scientific research - policy drafting Key Concepts overconfidence bias epistemic humility Questions to Reflect On - When have you mistaken confidence for correctness? - How do you balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to costly mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Certainty Guarantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty-guarantor-3071918/) [Correctness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/correctness/) [Guarantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guarantor-1347095/) [Guarantor Correctness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guarantor-correctness-3071919/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Who is the guarantor, if there is one, of a more stable world? 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White Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-r-white-jr/) > [The truth is that this culture of political correctness has tied the hands of law enforcement around the USA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-truth-is-that-this-culture-of-political-correctness-has-tied-the/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Political correctness is neither political nor is it correct. It amounts to social censorship, and the sooner we spit it out, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/political-correctness-is-neither-political-nor-is-it-correct-it/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [You get so tired of political correctness. I'm noted for speaking out all my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/you-get-so-tired-of-political-correctness-i-m-noted-for-speaking-out/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [“No one in the world can shake you up if you are correct. 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A few great companies offer all of these, but any valuable business offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/companies-are-bought-for-their-revenue-customer-base-technology-or/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [The biggest catastrophes that we've witnessed rarely come from information that is secret or hidden. It comes from information that is freely available and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/the-biggest-catastrophes-that-we-ve-witnessed-rarely-come-from/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I haven't always hated McDonald's. When my kids were little and I lived in the U.S., they were as susceptible as anyone to Happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-haven-t-always-hated-mcdonald-s-when-my-kids-were-little-and-i/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I hate people walking down the street listening to the soundtrack of their lives which responds to them but not their setting. I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-hate-people-walking-down-the-street-listening-to-the-soundtrack-of/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [The vast literature concerning whistleblowers shows that, far from weird extremists, they are really quite ordinary people: male and female, young and old, junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/the-vast-literature-concerning-whistleblowers-shows-that-far-from/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [“Indeed, there seems to be some evidence not only that all love is based on illusion — but that love positively requires illusion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/indeed-there-seems-to-be-some-evidence-not-only-that-all-love-is/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Clearing your head of distractions in order to notice and understand the people you are with can feel inefficient - there are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/clearing-your-head-of-distractions-in-order-to-notice-and-understand/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [We treasure what we can measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/we-treasure-what-we-can-measure/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [I don't mind if the couple next to me is tense or the kids are whiny. I'd even be happy to hear an honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/i-don-t-mind-if-the-couple-next-to-me-is-tense-or-the-kids-are-whiny/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [British innovation in design, in the creative arts, in engineering and manufacturing is world class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/british-innovation-in-design-in-the-creative-arts-in-engineering-and/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Huge open source organizations like Red Hat and Mozilla manage the collaboration of hundreds of people who don't know one another and have spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/huge-open-source-organizations-like-red-hat-and-mozilla-manage-the/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [Words are how people think. When you misuse words, you diminish your ability to think clearly and truthfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/words-are-how-people-think-when-you-misuse-words-you-diminish-your/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [“Humans do not have enough mental capacity to do all the things that we think we can do. 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There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. They deserve to know that my attention and focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/every-single-person-who-is-a-member-of-our-party-deserves-to-have/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) > [The significance and volume of repairs that are needed across the country demand that we give state and local governments the long-term certainty they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/the-significance-and-volume-of-repairs-that-are-needed-across-the/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [“Death is the one great certainty in life. That’s what my dad used to say. Nothing else is certain. Not love. Not happiness. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/) [Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. 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Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Finding someone that trusted my vision helped me find certainty in who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/finding-someone-that-trusted-my-vision-helped-me-find-certainty-in/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 1,776 Certainty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Heffernan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certainty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/margaret-heffernan-6923_certainty_certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness_1126303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.” — Margaret Heffernan", "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": "Margaret Heffernan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Certainty is no guarantor of correctness.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/certainty-is-no-guarantor-of-correctness/#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 } } ] } ```