--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are, I know not how, double in…" description: "\"We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what we believe we disbelieve, and cannot rid ourselves of what we condemn.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg" --- # We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what… ![“We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what we believe we disbelieve, and cannot rid ourselves of what we condemn.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg) > “We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what we believe we disbelieve, and cannot rid ourselves of what we condemn.” [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. We hold contradictory beliefs, unable to discard what we condemn, leading to internal conflict. **In simple terms:** We believe and disbelieve at once, causing inner tension. Key Takeaway Recognize and resolve internal contradictions. Themes self-awareness philosophy psychology Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - therapy - ethical decision making Key Concepts cognitive dissonance self-deception identity conflict Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs conflict within you? - How can you align actions with values? A Different Perspective Self-contradiction can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Disbelieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-disbelieve-644785/) [Disbelieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelieve/) [Disbelieve Rid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelieve-rid-3369548/) [Double](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double/) [Double Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-believe-3369549/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) ## Related quotes > [“Whether you believe or disbelieve. You will be on the same boat. You reach nowhere”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srinivart/whether-you-believe-or-disbelieve-you-will-be-on-the-same-boat-you/) [Srinivart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srinivart/) > [“Whether you believe or disbelieve, it is a wicked thing to take away Man's hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/whether-you-believe-or-disbelieve-it-is-a-wicked-thing-to-take-away/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, can ever compel the soul of a person to believe or to disbelieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-iron-chain-or-outward-force-of-any-kind-can-ever-compel-the-soul/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“People generally believe that which they wish to believe and disbelieve that which is unpleasant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-l-petersen/people-generally-believe-that-which-they-wish-to-believe-and/) [Rodney L. Petersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-l-petersen/) > [It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-is-better-to-believe-than-to-disbelieve-in-doing-you-bring/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Whether you believe or disbelieve. You reach nowhere”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srinivart/whether-you-believe-or-disbelieve-you-reach-nowhere/) [Srinivart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srinivart/) > [We both believe, and disbelieve a hundred times an hour, which keeps believing nimble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/we-both-believe-and-disbelieve-a-hundred-times-an-hour-which-keeps/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [There is no need to believe or disbelieve your thoughts - just don't enter anything. They don't distract you - you get distracted. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/there-is-no-need-to-believe-or-disbelieve-your-thoughts-just-don-t/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [It is not true that a man can believe or disbelieve what he will. But it is certain that an active desire to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/it-is-not-true-that-a-man-can-believe-or-disbelieve-what-he-will-but/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of man to believe or to disbelieve: it is his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-iron-chain-or-outward-force-of-any-kind-could-ever-compel-the-soul/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I am not religious in the dogmatic sense ... 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-cannot-understand-how-a-man-can-appear-in-print-claiming-to/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“... I don't believe in ghosts - not the scary white sheet, boogie-woogie type of ghost anyway. And yet ... I don't disbelieve either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-tayleur/i-don-t-believe-in-ghosts-not-the-scary-white-sheet-boogie-woogie/) [Karen Tayleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-tayleur/) ## 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 Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what we believe we disbelieve, and cannot rid ourselves of what we condemn.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselves-so-that-what-we-believe-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselves-so-that-what-we-believe-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/michel-de-montaigne-142_believe_we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselve_368797.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are, I know not how, double in ourselves, so that what we believe we disbelieve, and cannot rid ourselves…” — 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": "We are, I know not how,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselves-so-that-what-we-believe-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-are-i-know-not-how-double-in-ourselves-so-that-what-we-believe-we/#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 } } ] } ```