Balance Quote by Peter O'Toole
“There are only two things one has to bear in mind. One has to be credulous - able to believe - and skeptical - able to not believe, because if you are not skeptical, you will believe rubbish. If you are not credulous you will learn nothing and the only way to balance those two is to recognize the mystery of things.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 1990s, Peter O'Toole
Balancing belief and doubt enables learning while avoiding falsehoods.
In simple terms: Believe and doubt together to learn.
Key Takeaway
Embrace both credulity and skepticism.
Themes
critical thinking
learning
belief
skepticism
Mood
thoughtful
curious
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- research
- personal growth
- media consumption
- education
- decision making
Key Concepts
epistemology
psychology
balance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when to trust?
- When does doubt hinder progress?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on skepticism can paralyze action.
![“We should realize that, if [Socrates] demanded that the wisest men should rule, he clearly stressed that he did not mean the learned men; in fact, he was skeptical of all professional learnedness, whether it was that of the philosophers or of the learned men of his own generation, the Sophists…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e0a/anonymous-1_different_we-should-realize-that-if-socrates-deman_52551.jpg)
