--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing is so firmly believed as what we…" description: "\"Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg" --- # Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know. ![“Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg) > “Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often trust ideas they understand least, mistaking familiarity for certainty. **In simple terms:** We trust what we know least. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions. Themes knowledge confidence bias Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical critical. When to use this quote - political debate - personal relationships - media consumption - decision making Key Concepts epistemology cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs might be based on limited knowledge? - How do you test the depth of your convictions? A Different Perspective It can be hard to recognize ignorance when it feels comfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) [Believed Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-know-3385231/) [Firmly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firmly/) [Firmly Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firmly-believed-433340/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-that-which-we-least-know/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Nothing is so firmly believed as that which is least known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-that-which-is-least-known/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Not the man in the moon, not the groaning-board, not the speaking of friar Bacon's brazen- head, not the inspiration of mother Shipton, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/not-the-man-in-the-moon-not-the-groaning-board-not-the-speaking-of/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“I believed we could know what was happening to us. We were not excluded from our own lives. That is not my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-believed-we-could-know-what-was-happening-to-us-we-were-not/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Montaigne said three hundred years ago, ‘Nothing is so firmly believed as that which is least known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/montaigne-said-three-hundred-years-ago-nothing-is-so-firmly-believed/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [For my part, I have ever believed, and do now know, that there are witches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/for-my-part-i-have-ever-believed-and-do-now-know-that-there-are/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [I knew German history well, and out of my experiences in the rest of the world I believed to know the German kind; therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-knew-german-history-well-and-out-of-my-experiences-in-the-rest-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/things-as-certain-as-death-and-taxes-can-be-more-firmly-believed/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“I firmly believed and preached—albeit discreetly—that everyone had a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. I realized that I preached God’s love to so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benedict/i-firmly-believed-and-preached-albeit-discreetly-that-everyone-had-a/) [Charles Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benedict/) > [“Cameron firmly believed if you couldn’t laugh at yourself, you weren’t allowed to laugh at anyone else either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-force/cameron-firmly-believed-if-you-couldn-t-laugh-at-yourself-you-weren-t/) [Marie Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-force/) > [“They weren't lying. They firmly believed it all. Which doesn't change the facts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-sapkowski/they-weren-t-lying-they-firmly-believed-it-all-which-doesn-t-change/) [Andrzej Sapkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-sapkowski/) > [ \[Asked if American women would ever win full suffrage:\] Assuredly. I firmly believed at one time that I should live to see that day.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/asked-if-american-women-would-ever-win-full-suffrage-assuredly-i/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [“I firmly believed that with the breadth of knowledge now makes it impossible for someone to be a polymath in the 20th century-until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/i-firmly-believed-that-with-the-breadth-of-knowledge-now-makes-it/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [“He firmly believed that everything he did was right, that he ought on all occasions to have his own way—and like the sting of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/he-firmly-believed-that-everything-he-did-was-right-that-he-ought-on/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“We’d learned to open up to each other, to trust each other, to face the world together. I firmly believed now that there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-c-stephens/we-d-learned-to-open-up-to-each-other-to-trust-each-other-to-face-the/) [S.C. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-c-stephens/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Believed quotes > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [“I didn't know if I believed in 'happily ever after' anymore. I mean, I didn't know what would happen tomorrow, let alone for forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kate-strohm/i-didn-t-know-if-i-believed-in-happily-ever-after-anymore-i-mean-i/) [Stephanie Kate Strohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kate-strohm/) > [Alfred Nobel believed that social changes are brought about slowly, and sometimes by indirect means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertha-von-suttner/alfred-nobel-believed-that-social-changes-are-brought-about-slowly/) [Bertha von Suttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertha-von-suttner/) > [Aaron Spelling always had his finger on the pulse of pop culture, he knew what the public wanted to see. He was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/aaron-spelling-always-had-his-finger-on-the-pulse-of-pop-culture-he/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [I never believed that they was such thing as love at first sight but I think I'm having that feeliing @sarahlovemoody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishack/i-never-believed-that-they-was-such-thing-as-love-at-first-sight-but/) [Mishack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishack/) > [“I wish I believed him. He's looking at me like he can see where I begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcnamara/i-wish-i-believed-him-he-s-looking-at-me-like-he-can-see-where-i-begin/) [Amy McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcnamara/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I never believed I'd have a six-pack, especially not at 35 years old. I always thought it was a genetic blessing. It's not. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sullivan-stapleton/i-never-believed-i-d-have-a-six-pack-especially-not-at-35-years-old-i/) [Sullivan Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sullivan-stapleton/) > [“For a moment, I believed you.” He ordered me, dryly, recovering his usual poise again. He does not only have a selective hearing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tionne-rogers/for-a-moment-i-believed-you-he-ordered-me-dryly-recovering-his-usual/) [Tionne Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tionne-rogers/) > [There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/there-was-a-time-when-idealistic-folksingers-such-as-myself-believed/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I felt uneasy, but sometimes, like I said before, I believed in Col. North and there was a very solid and very valid reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/i-felt-uneasy-but-sometimes-like-i-said-before-i-believed-in-col/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salmon-p-chase/and-upon-this-act-sincerely-believed-to-be-an-act-of-justice/) [Salmon P. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salmon-p-chase/) [Browse all 1,214 Believed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we-least-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we-least-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/449/michel-de-montaigne-142_quote_nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we_1499039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.” — Michel de Montaigne", "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": "Michel de Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nothing is so firmly believed as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we-least-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/nothing-is-so-firmly-believed-as-what-we-least-know/#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 } } ] } ```