--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be sure I must; and therefore I may…" description: "\"To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your silence gives consent.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg" --- # To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your… ![“To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your silence gives consent.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg) > “To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your silence gives consent.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Silence can be interpreted as consent, so one may assume agreement when none is expressed. **In simple terms:** Silence may imply agreement. Key Takeaway Seek explicit confirmation. Themes ethics communication consent philosophy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal relationships - political discourse Key Concepts legal contracts interpersonal dialogue Questions to Reflect On - When is silence insufficient? - How to verify consent? A Different Perspective Silence may also signal dissent or uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [I shall assume that your silence gives consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-shall-assume-that-your-silence-gives-consent/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Your silence gives consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/your-silence-gives-consent/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Silence gives consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/silence-gives-consent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Silence gives consent. \[Lat., Qui tacet, consentire videtur.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-boniface-viii/silence-gives-consent-lat-qui-tacet-consentire-videtur/) [Pope Boniface VIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-boniface-viii/) > [Silence always gives consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-reed/silence-always-gives-consent/) [Myrtle Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrtle-reed/) > [S0metimes,. silence gives a better explanati0n 0f what y0u feeL,,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megz/s0metimes-silence-gives-a-better-explanati0n-0f-what-y0u-feel/) Megz > [Thinking in silence gives me a sezeable noise of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-in-silence-gives-me-a-sezeable-noise-of-words/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Silence gives the proper grace to women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/silence-gives-the-proper-grace-to-women/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/silence-gives-us-a-new-outlook-on-everything-we-need-silence-to-be/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The trees, the flowers, the plants grow in silence. The stars, the sun, the moon move in silence. Silence gives us a new perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-trees-the-flowers-the-plants-grow-in-silence-the-stars-the-sun/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We need silence to be alone with God, to speak to him, to listen to him, to ponder his words deep in our hearts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-need-silence-to-be-alone-with-god-to-speak-to-him-to-listen-to-him/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Silence gives us a new way of looking at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/silence-gives-us-a-new-way-of-looking-at-something/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [To women silence gives their proper grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/to-women-silence-gives-their-proper-grace/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Let no one tell me that silence gives consent, because whoever is silent dissents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-isabel-barreno/let-no-one-tell-me-that-silence-gives-consent-because-whoever-is/) Maria Isabel Barreno > [To become an an effective listener, you need to learn the power of silence. Silence gives you the opportunity to think about what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-become-an-an-effective-listener-you-need-to-learn-the-power-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Assume quotes > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [Nobody really knows everything, and they can only assume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/nobody-really-knows-everything-and-they-can-only-assume/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [“I just mean, sometimes two people do something unexpected and then by that simple act alone, it just seems they automatically assume it's now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-amo/i-just-mean-sometimes-two-people-do-something-unexpected-and-then-by/) [Thomas Amo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-amo/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [Is it philosophical, is it quite allowable, to assume without evidence from fossil plants that the family or any of the genera was once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/is-it-philosophical-is-it-quite-allowable-to-assume-without-evidence/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [We should not assume; however, that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/we-should-not-assume-however-that-just-because-something-is/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [I think a lot of fans immediately go, 'ugggh' when they hear that someone is doing a prequel or a remake, they sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/i-think-a-lot-of-fans-immediately-go-ugggh-when-they-hear-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [You can never assume that something is going to do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/you-can-never-assume-that-something-is-going-to-do-well/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [What we assume, what we have never clearly thought out, controls us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-t-kelsey/what-we-assume-what-we-have-never-clearly-thought-out-controls-us/) [Morton T. Kelsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-t-kelsey/) > [Do not always assume the other fellow has intelligence equal to yours. He may have more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-thomas/do-not-always-assume-the-other-fellow-has-intelligence-equal-to-yours/) Terry-Thomas > [Americans assume all British people have at least one servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/americans-assume-all-british-people-have-at-least-one-servant/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [ If \[Barack\] Obama or the boss or the newspapers or anyone else tells you they're doing this, that, or the other thing, dismiss it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-barack-obama-or-the-boss-or-the-newspapers-or-anyone-else-tells/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) Browse all 542 Assume quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your silence gives consent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-assume-that-your-silence-gives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assume" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-assume-that-your-silence-gives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/747/plato-103_assume_to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-as_892140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be sure I must; and therefore I may assume that your silence gives consent.” — Plato", "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": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be sure I must; and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-assume-that-your-silence-gives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-be-sure-i-must-and-therefore-i-may-assume-that-your-silence-gives/#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 } } ] } ```