--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be that as it may, there is fixed in my…" description: "\"Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain opinion of long standing, namely that there exists a God who is able to do anything and by whom ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/ren-descartes-1376_able_be-that-as-it-may-there-is-fixed-in-my-m_961732.png" --- # Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain… ![“Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain opinion of long standing, namely that there exists a God who is able to do anything and by whom I, such as I am, have been created. How do I know that he did not bring it about that there is no earth at all, no heavens, no extended thing, no…” quote by Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/ren-descartes-1376_able_be-that-as-it-may-there-is-fixed-in-my-m_961732.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/ren-descartes-1376_able_be-that-as-it-may-there-is-fixed-in-my-m_961732.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/ren-descartes-1376_able_be-that-as-it-may-there-is-fixed-in-my-m_961732.png) > “Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain opinion of long standing, namely that there exists a God who is able to do anything and by whom I, such as I am, have been created. How do I know that he did not bring it about that there is no earth at all, no heavens, no extended thing, no shape, no size, no place, and yet bringing it about that all these things appear to me to exist precisely as they do now?” [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author questions the certainty of existence, suggesting that all perceived reality could be an illusion created by a deity. **In simple terms:** We cannot be sure our world is real; it might be a divine illusion. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about reality. Themes epistemology philosophy of religion skepticism Mood inquisitive skeptical Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - daily decision making - scientific inquiry - spiritual contemplation - ethical reasoning Key Concepts Cartesian doubt theory of perception theodicy Questions to Reflect On - How can we know if our senses are reliable? - What would change if we accepted reality as illusion? A Different Perspective The argument assumes a deity exists to create illusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [Reality does appear to exist, there does appear to be birth, youth, people appear to have children. But all of it's a dream. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/reality-does-appear-to-exist-there-does-appear-to-be-birth-youth/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [God exists or God does not exist. Leave it for us. Your task is to learn how to live peacefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/god-exists-or-god-does-not-exist-leave-it-for-us-your-task-is-to/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“And suddenly there came a second, when somehow for the first time I saw (as if a door had opened from a dark room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seraphim-rose/and-suddenly-there-came-a-second-when-somehow-for-the-first-time-i/) [Seraphim Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seraphim-rose/) > [“Anyway, I'm done with God." Lily smiled. "But what if it's not God you're mad at?" she said. "What if the thing you're mad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james-poissant/anyway-i-m-done-with-god-lily-smiled-but-what-if-it-s-not-god-you-re/) [David James Poissant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james-poissant/) > [God is not all that exists. God is all that does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/god-is-not-all-that-exists-god-is-all-that-does-not-exist/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [As a theist I believe that God exists and that God creates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/as-a-theist-i-believe-that-god-exists-and-that-god-creates/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [The devil has not vanished simply because people refuse to believe he exists, no more than God has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-devil-has-not-vanished-simply-because-people-refuse-to-believe-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything we see, everything that exists, is part of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanes/everything-we-see-everything-that-exists-is-part-of-god/) [Juanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanes/) > [God is all that is. Since everything that exists is God, in one form or another, the only way that God can make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolly-burkan/god-is-all-that-is-since-everything-that-exists-is-god-in-one-form-or/) Tolly Burkan > [At the heart of our universe, each soul exists for God, in our Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/at-the-heart-of-our-universe-each-soul-exists-for-god-in-our-lord/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [If people say that God does not exist well I simply say if Love exists than God must exist since God is Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-mark-limn/if-people-say-that-god-does-not-exist-well-i-simply-say-if-love/) [Jeremy Mark Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-mark-limn/) > [An enormously vast field lies between "God exists" and "there is no God." The truly wise man traverses it with great difficulty. A Russian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/an-enormously-vast-field-lies-between-god-exists-and-there-is-no-god/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“It is undefinable; and moreover, if it were defined it would lose all its value. God is not all that exists; God is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/it-is-undefinable-and-moreover-if-it-were-defined-it-would-lose-all/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [If everything that exists was made by God and for God, and God is superior to the things made by Him, he who abandons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/if-everything-that-exists-was-made-by-god-and-for-god-and-god-is/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [“There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-wiseman/there-s-an-irresolvable-tension-that-exists-between-god-s-sovereignty/) Paula Wiseman ## More by Rene Descartes > [“My third maxim was to endeavour always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/my-third-maxim-was-to-endeavour-always-to-conquer-myself-rather-than/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the self-same well from which your laughter rises was often-times filled with your tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/your-joy-is-your-sorrow-unmasked-and-the-self-same-well-from-which/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [So blind is the curiosity by which mortals are possessed, that they often conduct their minds along unexplored routes, having no reason to hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/so-blind-is-the-curiosity-by-which-mortals-are-possessed-that-they/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [“For to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it. The greatest minds, as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/for-to-be-possessed-of-a-vigorous-mind-is-not-enough-the-prime/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [“It is useful to know something of the manners of different nations, that we may be enabled to form a more correct judgment regarding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/it-is-useful-to-know-something-of-the-manners-of-different-nations/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/a-state-is-better-governed-which-has-few-laws-and-those-laws-strictly/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [ \[About Pierre de Fermat\] It cannot be denied that he has had many exceptional ideas, and that he is a highly intelligent man. For… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/about-pierre-de-fermat-it-cannot-be-denied-that-he-has-had-many/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Science is practical philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/science-is-practical-philosophy/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [ “And what more am I? I look for aid to the imagination. \[But how mistakenly!\] I am not that assemblage of limbs we call… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/and-what-more-am-i-i-look-for-aid-to-the-imagination-but-how/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [“And, in fine, of false sciences I thought I knew the worth sufficiently to escape being deceived by the professions of an alchemist, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/and-in-fine-of-false-sciences-i-thought-i-knew-the-worth-sufficiently/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/nothing-is-more-fairly-distributed-than-common-sense-no-one-thinks-he/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [If I go for the alternative which is false, then obviously I shall be in error; if I take the other side, then it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/if-i-go-for-the-alternative-which-is-false-then-obviously-i-shall-be/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Everything is self-evident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/everything-is-self-evident/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Neither the true nor the false roots are always real; sometimes they are imaginary; that is, while we can always imagine as many roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/neither-the-true-nor-the-false-roots-are-always-real-sometimes-they/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [It is only intelligence that is divided equally between people because everybody thinks he/she is enough wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/it-is-only-intelligence-that-is-divided-equally-between-people/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) [Explore all 232 Rene Descartes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be that as it may, there is fixed in my mind a certain opinion of long standing, namely that there exists a God who is able to do anything and by whom I, such as I am, have been created. 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