---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No,\" said Ender. \"I don't know about…"
description: "\"“No,\" said Ender. \"I don't know about souls. I just know that while we're alive, in these bodies, we can only do what our body can do. My parents belie..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png"
---

#  No," said Ender. "I don't know about souls. I just know…

![“No,&quot; said Ender. &quot;I don't know about souls. I just know that while we're alive, in these bodies, we can only do what our body can do. My parents believe in souls. I've known people who were absolutely sure. Smart people. Good people. So just because I don't understand it doesn't mean I'm sure it…” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png)

> ““No," said Ender. "I don't know about souls. I just know that while we're alive, in these bodies, we can only do what our body can do. My parents believe in souls. I've known people who were absolutely sure. Smart people. Good people. So just because I don't understand it doesn't mean I'm sure it can't be true.””

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker admits uncertainty about souls, emphasizing that lack of understanding doesn’t disprove existence.

**In simple terms:** Not knowing isn’t proof of non‑existence.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty, stay open‑minded.

Themes

faith skepticism existence humility

Mood

curious thoughtful

Type

philosophical contemplative

When to use this quote

- personal belief discussions
- philosophical debates
- interfaith dialogues

Key Concepts

metaphysics epistemology belief

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence would change your view?
- How do you reconcile faith with uncertainty?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that empirical evidence is required for belief in souls.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-souls-899261/) [Ender-quintet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ender-quintet-55602/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Know Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-souls-899262/) [Known People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known-people/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-believe-306552/) [Said Ender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-ender-337044/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) [Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/)

## Related quotes

> [“I thought commanders could order anything.” "They can order the moon to turn blue, too, but it doesn't happen. Listen, Ender, commanders have just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-thought-commanders-could-order-anything-they-can-order-the-moon-to/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Ela reached out for Grego. He refused to go to her. Instead he did exactly what Ender expected, what he had prepared for. Grego…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/ela-reached-out-for-grego-he-refused-to-go-to-her-instead-he-did/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“It’s also like being born,” said Ender. “As long as you keep getting born, it’s all right to die sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/it-s-also-like-being-born-said-ender-as-long-as-you-keep-getting-born/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“I speak to everyone in the language they understand," said Ender. "That isn't being slick. It's being clear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-speak-to-everyone-in-the-language-they-understand-said-ender-that/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [We've devoted our lives to learning about them!" Miro said. Ender stopped. "Not from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-ve-devoted-our-lives-to-learning-about-them-miro-said-ender/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“In my dreams," said Ender, "I'm never sure whether I'm really me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/in-my-dreams-said-ender-i-m-never-sure-whether-i-m-really-me/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“I'll become exactly the tool you want me to be, said Ender silently, but at least I wont be fooled into it. I'll do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-ll-become-exactly-the-tool-you-want-me-to-be-said-ender-silently/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“You made them hate me." Said Ender "So? What will you do about it? Crawl in a corner? Start kissing their little backsides so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-made-them-hate-me-said-ender-so-what-will-you-do-about-it-crawl/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> ['So if we can we'll kill every last of the buggers, and if they can they'll kill every last one of us. As for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/so-if-we-can-we-ll-kill-every-last-of-the-buggers-and-if-they-can/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“We're not taking odds on it,” said Ender. “Nothing that actually happens is likely until it exists, and then it's certain. You exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-not-taking-odds-on-it-said-ender-nothing-that-actually-happens/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I'm crazy," said Ender. "But I think I'm OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-m-crazy-said-ender-but-i-think-i-m-ok/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Give God the margin of eternity to justify Himself in, and the more we live and know of our own souls and of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-reginald-haweis/give-god-the-margin-of-eternity-to-justify-himself-in-and-the-more-we/)

[Hugh Reginald Haweis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-reginald-haweis/)

> [“A man dies, girl, he isn't any more, least not down here. Respect and all that crap doesn't deserve the dead; it just makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/a-man-dies-girl-he-isn-t-any-more-least-not-down-here-respect-and-all/)

[Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/)

> [We do not know our own souls, let alone the souls of others. Human beings do not go hand in hand the whole stretch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/we-do-not-know-our-own-souls-let-alone-the-souls-of-others-human/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [“High in the tower, where I sit above the loud complaining of the human sea, I know many souls that toss and whirl and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/high-in-the-tower-where-i-sit-above-the-loud-complaining-of-the-human/)

[W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/)

## More by Orson Scott Card

> [“You underestimate yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-underestimate-yourself/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“I don't know of a soul who doesn't maintain two separate lists of doctrines - the ones they believe they believe; and the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-don-t-know-of-a-soul-who-doesn-t-maintain-two-separate-lists-of/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Good people do not let others suffer needlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/good-people-do-not-let-others-suffer-needlessly/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Where ideas are real and reality is shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-ideas-are-real-and-reality-is-shadow/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Ender, for the past few months you have been the battle commander of our fleets. This was the Third Invasion. There were no games,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/ender-for-the-past-few-months-you-have-been-the-battle-commander-of/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Science fiction is about what could be but isn't; fantasy is about what couldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/science-fiction-is-about-what-could-be-but-isn-t-fantasy-is-about/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Knowledge is just opinion that you trust enough to act upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/knowledge-is-just-opinion-that-you-trust-enough-to-act-upon/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Of course they accused Marcão of having done it without provocation—that’s the way of torturers of every age, to put the blame on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/of-course-they-accused-marc-o-of-having-done-it-without-provocation/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Civilization is only a pretense; in the crisis, we become mere apes again, forgetting the rational biped of our pretensions and becoming instead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/civilization-is-only-a-pretense-in-the-crisis-we-become-mere-apes/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [“Where did this whole thing begin? If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

[Explore all 1,158 Orson Scott Card quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

## More Ender-quintet quotes

> [“I thought commanders could order anything.” "They can order the moon to turn blue, too, but it doesn't happen. Listen, Ender, commanders have just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-thought-commanders-could-order-anything-they-can-order-the-moon-to/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

[Browse all 2 Ender-quintet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ender-quintet-55602/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“No,\" said Ender. \"I don't know about souls. I just know that while we're alive, in these bodies, we can only do what our body can do. My parents believe in souls. I've known people who were absolutely sure. Smart people. Good people. So just because I don't understand it doesn't mean I'm sure it can't be true.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Orson Scott Card"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i-just-know-that-while-we-re/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ender-quintet"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i-just-know-that-while-we-re/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a55/orson-scott-card-134_ender-quintet_no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i_2484358.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No,\" said Ender. \"I don't know about souls. I just know that while we're alive, in these bodies, we can only…” — Orson Scott Card",
                "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": "Orson Scott Card",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“No,\" said Ender. \"I don't know...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i-just-know-that-while-we-re/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/no-said-ender-i-don-t-know-about-souls-i-just-know-that-while-we-re/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
