--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing so strange and so…" description: "\"There is nothing so strange and so unbelievable that it has not been said by one philosopher or another.\" — Rene Descartes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/ren-descartes-1376_philosopher_there-is-nothing-so-strange-and-so-unbel_1816369.png" --- # There is nothing so strange and so unbelievable that it… ![“There is nothing so strange and so unbelievable that it has not been said by one philosopher or another.” quote by Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/ren-descartes-1376_philosopher_there-is-nothing-so-strange-and-so-unbel_1816369.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/ren-descartes-1376_philosopher_there-is-nothing-so-strange-and-so-unbel_1816369.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/ren-descartes-1376_philosopher_there-is-nothing-so-strange-and-so-unbel_1816369.png) > “There is nothing so strange and so unbelievable that it has not been said by one philosopher or another.” [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 quote suggests that any extraordinary claim has precedent in philosophical discourse, implying that novelty is often recycled. **In simple terms:** Philosophers have already said strange things. Key Takeaway Recognize that unusual ideas may have historical roots. Themes philosophy skepticism originality Mood curious reflective Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - academic debate - creative writing - public speaking Key Concepts historical recurrence intellectual tradition Questions to Reflect On - What “ ideas seem unprecedented to you? - How do you verify if a claim is truly original? A Different Perspective It may overlook truly novel insights that have no precedent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-philosopher-230770/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Unbelievable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-unbelievable-2157846/) [Unbelievable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievable/) [Unbelievable Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievable-said-590504/) ## Related quotes > [Amory thought how it was only the past that seemed strange and unbelievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/amory-thought-how-it-was-only-the-past-that-seemed-strange-and/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Unbelievable! I said, "What would I be doing walking the streets at night as a stuffed olive- gate-crashing cocktail parties?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/unbelievable-i-said-what-would-i-be-doing-walking-the-streets-at/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [You’re unbelievable,’ said Rosie. ‘Look at me when I’m talking.’ I kept looking out the window. I was already over-stimulated. ‘I know what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/you-re-unbelievable-said-rosie-look-at-me-when-i-m-talking-i-kept/) [Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/) > [“My mother kept calling me out of myself. She wanted to show me a picture, the first picture from the slave-ship exhibition. ‘This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-faith-berger/my-mother-kept-calling-me-out-of-myself-she-wanted-to-show-me-a/) [Tamara Faith Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-faith-berger/) > [I want you," he muttered. "Get rid of him and take me. The only risk is losing someone you don't have anyway. He's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-want-you-he-muttered-get-rid-of-him-and-take-me-the-only-risk-is/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [One cannot conceive anything so strange and so implausible that it has not already been said by one philosopher or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/one-cannot-conceive-anything-so-strange-and-so-implausible-that-it/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [“You're unbelievable," he said in a low voice, and it wasn't a compliment. "It amazes me that there was ever a time I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/you-re-unbelievable-he-said-in-a-low-voice-and-it-wasn-t-a-compliment/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Unbelievable,” I said when it was done. 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If You Are Not Interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/a-small-but-very-meaningful-thought-said-by-a-philosopher-nothing-is/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“Finality is death. Perfection is finality. Nothing is perfect. There are lumps in it, said the Philosopher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/finality-is-death-perfection-is-finality-nothing-is-perfect-there-are-2/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [There is nothing so absurd or ridiculous that has not at some time been said by some philosopher. 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Willow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-willow-wilson/) ## 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. 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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 Philosopher quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. 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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/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Since Pawlow and his pupils have succeeded in causing the secretion of saliva in the dog by means of optic and acoustic signals, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-loeb/since-pawlow-and-his-pupils-have-succeeded-in-causing-the-secretion/) [Jacques Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-loeb/) > [To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/to-become-a-philosopher-start-by-walking-very-slowly/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [As our domestic fowls are said to have their original in the wild pheasant of India, so our domestic thoughts have their prototypes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-our-domestic-fowls-are-said-to-have-their-original-in-the-wild/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. 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