--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We absolutely must leave room for doubt…" description: "\"We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/richard-p-feynman-495_certainty_we-absolutely-must-leave-room-for-doubt_3234324.png" --- # We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no… ![“We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt. People search for certainty. But there is no certainty.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/richard-p-feynman-495_certainty_we-absolutely-must-leave-room-for-doubt_3234324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/richard-p-feynman-495_certainty_we-absolutely-must-leave-room-for-doubt_3234324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/richard-p-feynman-495_certainty_we-absolutely-must-leave-room-for-doubt_3234324.png) > “We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt. People search for certainty. But there is no certainty.” [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Doubt is essential for learning; questioning leads to progress, while certainty halts growth. **In simple terms:** Questioning fuels learning; certainty blocks it. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, keep asking questions. Themes education science philosophy Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - personal learning - problem solving Key Concepts critical thinking epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn doubt into productive inquiry? - When is certainty useful? A Different Perspective Excessive doubt can paralyze decision‑making; balance with confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Certainty Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty-certainty-804489/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-people-347509/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Requires Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-doubt-2540295/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and there is no learning. 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Certainty is a relic, an atavism, a husk we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/the-difference-between-theism-and-new-atheist-science-is-the/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [... moral certainty is certainty which is sufficient to regulate our behaviour, or which measures up to the certainty we have on matters relating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/moral-certainty-is-certainty-which-is-sufficient-to-regulate-our/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [I have no doubt, if people are really seeking the big questions, it will lead them to the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/i-have-no-doubt-if-people-are-really-seeking-the-big-questions-it/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [I'm not too sure if I have a very smart approach to revealing my life. Luckily, I doubt if many people really care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephin-merritt/i-m-not-too-sure-if-i-have-a-very-smart-approach-to-revealing-my-life/) [Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephin-merritt/) > [“Don't create unbelief or doubt in people's minds. 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There's no doubt that other people can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-miller/the-problems-come-when-it-s-time-to-put-our-faith-in-things-other/) [Kirsten Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-miller/) > [“It seemed to him that if you planted the seed of doubt in people's minds, they were more likely to take a look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-seemed-to-him-that-if-you-planted-the-seed-of-doubt-in-people-s/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [No doubt very few people understand the purely subjective nature of the phenomenon that we call love, or how it creates, so to speak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/no-doubt-very-few-people-understand-the-purely-subjective-nature-of/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“If the public insists it has the right to know, which I very much doubt, perhaps the people should go and face for themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/if-the-public-insists-it-has-the-right-to-know-which-i-very-much/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) ## More by Richard P. Feynman > [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/) [Richard P. 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Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) [Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## More Certainty quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. 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I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. 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Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/) [Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. 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