--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can you be certain that your whole…" description: "\"How can you be certain that your whole life is not a dream?\" — Rene Descartes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/ren-descartes-1376_certain_how-can-you-be-certain-that-your-whole-l_1294177.png" --- # How can you be certain that your whole life is not a dream? ![“How can you be certain that your whole life is not a dream?” quote by Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/ren-descartes-1376_certain_how-can-you-be-certain-that-your-whole-l_1294177.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/ren-descartes-1376_certain_how-can-you-be-certain-that-your-whole-l_1294177.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/ren-descartes-1376_certain_how-can-you-be-certain-that-your-whole-l_1294177.png) > “How can you be certain that your whole life is not a dream?” [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. Questioning reality challenges the certainty that life is not a dream. **In simple terms:** Life may be a dream. Key Takeaway Examine your assumptions. Themes reality philosophy skepticism Mood inquisitive philosophical Type philosophical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - meditation - philosophical study - creative brainstorming Key Concepts Cartesian doubt consciousness existential inquiry Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate dream from reality? - What evidence grounds your existence? A Different Perspective Dream‑like perception can hinder practical action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-dream/) ## Related quotes > [My whole life, my dream has been to be a quarterback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/my-whole-life-my-dream-has-been-to-be-a-quarterback/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [When I was 16 I was fortunate enough to get Cosby and move to New York and shift my whole life. that had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bonet/when-i-was-16-i-was-fortunate-enough-to-get-cosby-and-move-to-new/) [Lisa Bonet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bonet/) > [“If certain, when this life was out, That yours and mine should be, I'd toss it yonder like a rind, And taste eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-certain-when-this-life-was-out-that-yours-and-mine-should-be-i-d/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is certain, life circumstances are uncertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akash-rajoriya/life-is-certain-life-circumstances-are-uncertain/) [Akash Rajoriya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akash-rajoriya/) > [“The ONE thing that is most certain in life is CHANGE ;)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael/the-one-thing-that-is-most-certain-in-life-is-change/) Michael > [When you have a kid, it is the death of a certain life, but it's also the start of a new version of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-matafeo/when-you-have-a-kid-it-is-the-death-of-a-certain-life-but-it-s-also/) Rose Matafeo > [“one thing I know for certain is that a life half lived is no life at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-force/one-thing-i-know-for-certain-is-that-a-life-half-lived-is-no-life-at/) [Marie Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-force/) > [Until we stop ourselves or, more often, have been stopped, we hope to put certain of life's events "behind us" and get on with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/until-we-stop-ourselves-or-more-often-have-been-stopped-we-hope-to/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [The only thing we can be certain of in this life is that we can be certain of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-only-thing-we-can-be-certain-of-in-this-life-is-that-we-can-be/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One thing is certain in life. Just when things are going well, soon afterward they are certain to go wrong. It's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/one-thing-is-certain-in-life-just-when-things-are-going-well-soon/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [Apart from death and taxes, the one thing that's certain in this life is that I'll never be a fashion icon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/apart-from-death-and-taxes-the-one-thing-that-s-certain-in-this-life/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [Nothing is certain than the life you've already got, you shouldn't compromise it for the one yet to come which is not damn sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/nothing-is-certain-than-the-life-you-ve-already-got-you-shouldn-t/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [“One thing’s certain, life with you is never gonna be boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/one-thing-s-certain-life-with-you-is-never-gonna-be-boring/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“The more you start embracing The uncertainties in life, The more certain Life becomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neelam-saxena-chandra/the-more-you-start-embracing-the-uncertainties-in-life-the-more/) [Neelam Saxena Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neelam-saxena-chandra/) > [One thing is for certain, you never know for certain what life will bring! Live, laugh and love today because tomorrow is uncertain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/one-thing-is-for-certain-you-never-know-for-certain-what-life-will/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## 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 Certain 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/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. 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It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) T. H. 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