Certainty Quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr
“Certitude is not the test of certainty.”
About This Quote
Source Legal essay, 1885
Certainty is not a reliable test of truth; confidence can be misleading.
In simple terms: Confidence doesn’t guarantee correctness.
Question assumptions despite confidence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- court decisions
- scientific research
- personal judgments
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you been overconfident?
- How do you verify certainty?
Overconfidence can lead to errors.