--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In philosophy, when we make use of false…" description: "\"In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we depart the farther from the knowledge of truth and wisdom exactly in proportion to the care wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg" --- # In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we… ![“In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we depart the farther from the knowledge of truth and wisdom exactly in proportion to the care with which we cultivate them, and apply ourselves to the deduction of diverse consequences from them, thinking that we are philosophizing well, while…” quote by Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg) > “In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we depart the farther from the knowledge of truth and wisdom exactly in proportion to the care with which we cultivate them, and apply ourselves to the deduction of diverse consequences from them, thinking that we are philosophizing well, while we are only departing the farther from the truth; from which it must be inferred that they who have learned the least of all that has been hitherto distinguished by the name of philosophy are the most fitted for the apprehension of truth.” [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. Relying on false premises leads farther from truth; the less one knows, the more likely they think they understand. **In simple terms:** Bad foundations ruin reasoning. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before reasoning. Themes critical thinking philosophy epistemology Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical instructive When to use this quote - academic research - policy analysis - personal decision making - debate preparation Key Concepts Skepticism logic cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you accept without testing? - How can you detect hidden false principles? A Different Perspective Complex ideas may be oversimplified; not all errors are obvious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) [Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aries/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Deductions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deductions/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [...the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-test-of-a-first-rate-intelligence-is-the-ability-to-hold-two-4/) [F. 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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 Apprehension quotes > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. 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I've always done my work with a gut feeling that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/the-apprehension-whether-people-will-like-it-or-not-also-doesn-t/) [Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/) > [LIFE, n. A spiritual pickle preserving the body from decay. We live in daily apprehension of its loss; yet when lost it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/life-n-a-spiritual-pickle-preserving-the-body-from-decay-we-live-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Man may feel like a feeble and powerless pawn, at some moment in his life. This apprehension can come out of the blue, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/man-may-feel-like-a-feeble-and-powerless-pawn-at-some-moment-in-his/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [We stand for organized terror - this should be frankly admitted. Terror is an absolute necessity during times of revolution. Our aim is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dzerzhinsky/we-stand-for-organized-terror-this-should-be-frankly-admitted-terror/) Felix Dzerzhinsky > [The regulation of commerce, it is true, is a new power; but that seems to be an addition which few oppose and from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-regulation-of-commerce-it-is-true-is-a-new-power-but-that-seems/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [As a father and grandfather, I have witnessed firsthand the joy of new life entering the world. I know the pain and apprehension that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/as-a-father-and-grandfather-i-have-witnessed-firsthand-the-joy-of-new/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [Lord, enlighten thou our enemies. 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Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) [Browse all 258 Apprehension quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we depart the farther from the knowledge of truth and wisdom exactly in proportion to the care with which we cultivate them, and apply ourselves to the deduction of diverse consequences from them, thinking that we are philosophizing well, while we are only departing the farther from the truth; from which it must be inferred that they who have learned the least of all that has been hitherto distinguished by the name of philosophy are the most fitted for the apprehension of truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rene Descartes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false-principles-we-depart-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apprehension" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false-principles-we-depart-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/ren-descartes-1376_apprehension_in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false_1669964.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In philosophy, when we make use of false principles, we depart the farther from the knowledge of truth and…” — Rene Descartes", "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": "Rene Descartes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In philosophy, when we make use...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false-principles-we-depart-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/in-philosophy-when-we-make-use-of-false-principles-we-depart-the/#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 } } ] } ```