--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By doubting we come to the question, and…" description: "\"“By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we may come upon the truth.”\" — Pierre Abélard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg" --- # By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we… ![“By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we may come upon the truth.” quote by Pierre Abélard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg) > ““By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we may come upon the truth.”” [Pierre Abélard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-ab-lard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Doubt initiates inquiry; questioning leads toward truth. **In simple terms:** Question to discover truth. Key Takeaway Embrace doubt as a path to knowledge. Themes philosophy inquiry truth Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic research - personal belief systems - scientific method Key Concepts Socratic method critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What questions unlock your deeper understanding? - How do you balance doubt with confidence? A Different Perspective Excessive doubt can paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubting/) [Doubting Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubting-come-625663/) [Question Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-questioning-937014/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Questioning Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning-come-5079932/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [By doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-doubting-we-are-led-to-question-by-questioning-we-arrive-at-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is by doubting that we come to investigate, and by investigating that we recognize the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/it-is-by-doubting-that-we-come-to-investigate-and-by-investigating/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [By doubting we come to questioning, and by questioning we perceive the truth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/by-doubting-we-come-to-questioning-and-by-questioning-we-perceive-the/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [In doubting we come to inquiry; by inquiry we perceive the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/in-doubting-we-come-to-inquiry-by-inquiry-we-perceive-the-truth/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [By doubting we come at truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/by-doubting-we-come-at-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The beginning of wisdom is found in doubting; by doubting we come to the question, and by seeking we may come upon the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-found-in-doubting-by-doubting-we-come-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“By doubting we come to enquiry, and through enquiry we perceive truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/by-doubting-we-come-to-enquiry-and-through-enquiry-we-perceive-truth/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [I am very self-doubting; it has come out of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahira-khan/i-am-very-self-doubting-it-has-come-out-of-experience/) [Mahira Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahira-khan/) > [By doubting we come to inquiry. By inquiry we come to Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-abelard/by-doubting-we-come-to-inquiry-by-inquiry-we-come-to-truth/) [Peter Abelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-abelard/) > [“Your questions contain hidden assumptions; that's the point. Therefore, when you question the question itself, you may be questioning a deeper assumption. But that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/your-questions-contain-hidden-assumptions-that-s-the-point-therefore/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Question the questioning, question the questions and question the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anette-sandberg/question-the-questioning-question-the-questions-and-question-the/) [Anette Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anette-sandberg/) > [Having the answers is not essential to living. What is essential is the sense of God's presence during dark seasons of questioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/having-the-answers-is-not-essential-to-living-what-is-essential-is/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [After sixty, the self-questioning of middle age is obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/after-sixty-the-self-questioning-of-middle-age-is-obsolete/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I ask people questions I already know just to see if they lie or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ask-people-questions-i-already-know-just-to-see-if-they-lie-or-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The questioning is a stupid formality aimed exclusively at preventing us from speaking at the demonstration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/the-questioning-is-a-stupid-formality-aimed-exclusively-at-preventing/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) ## More by Pierre Abélard > [“Everyone wishes to be saved, but few will use those means which religion prescribes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/everyone-wishes-to-be-saved-but-few-will-use-those-means-which/) [Pierre Abélard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-ab-lard/) > [“Strive now to unite in yourself all the virtues of these different examples. Have the purity of virgins, the austerity of anchorites, the zeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/strive-now-to-unite-in-yourself-all-the-virtues-of-these-different/) [Pierre Abélard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-ab-lard/) [Explore all 3 Pierre Abélard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-ab-lard/) ## More Doubt quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Vision motivates, sustains and dispels doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-young/vision-motivates-sustains-and-dispels-doubt/) [Thomas Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-young/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapman/when-in-doubt-suggest-that-a-subcommittee-be-appointed/) [Harry Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapman/) > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Browse all 9,582 Doubt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we may come upon the truth.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Abélard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and-by-questioning-we-may-come/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doubt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and-by-questioning-we-may-come/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/082/pierre-ab-lard-77631_doubt_by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and_1428686.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By doubting we come to the question, and by questioning we may come upon the truth.” — Pierre Abélard", "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": "Pierre Abélard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-ab-lard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“By doubting we come to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and-by-questioning-we-may-come/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-ab-lard/by-doubting-we-come-to-the-question-and-by-questioning-we-may-come/#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 } } ] } ```