---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certitude belongs exclusively to those…"
description: "\"Certitude belongs exclusively to those who only look in one encyclopedia.\" — Robert Anton Wilson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/robert-anton-wilson-1198_certitude_certitude-belongs-exclusively-to-those-w_1073447.jpg"
---

#  Certitude belongs exclusively to those who only look in…

![“Certitude belongs exclusively to those who only look in one encyclopedia.” quote by Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/robert-anton-wilson-1198_certitude_certitude-belongs-exclusively-to-those-w_1073447.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/robert-anton-wilson-1198_certitude_certitude-belongs-exclusively-to-those-w_1073447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/robert-anton-wilson-1198_certitude_certitude-belongs-exclusively-to-those-w_1073447.jpg)

> “Certitude belongs exclusively to those who only look in one encyclopedia.”

[Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Certainty arises when one limits knowledge to a single source, ignoring broader perspectives.

**In simple terms:** Certainty comes from narrow focus.

Key Takeaway

Seek multiple viewpoints.

Themes

certaintyertainty knowledge perspective

Mood

curious skeptical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- research
- decision making
- learning
- media consumption

Key Concepts

epistemology critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- What sources do you rely on?
- How can you broaden your information base?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can blind you to truth.

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> [ \[My wife\] liked to collect old encyclopedias from second-hand bookstores, and at one point we had eight of them. When I wrote my first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/my-wife-liked-to-collect-old-encyclopedias-from-second-hand/)

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> [Certitude is seized by some minds, not because there is any philosophical justification for it, but because such minds have an emotional need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/certitude-is-seized-by-some-minds-not-because-there-is-any/)

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> [Belief Systems contradict both science and ordinary "common sense." B.S. contradicts science, because it claims certitude and science can never achieve certitude: it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/belief-systems-contradict-both-science-and-ordinary-common-sense-b-s/)

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> [I don't like quintessential certitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/i-don-t-like-quintessential-certitude/)

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## More by Robert Anton Wilson

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[Explore all 274 Robert Anton Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/)

## More Certitude quotes

> [From men motivated by moral certitude, history teaches, no lasting good ever comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/from-men-motivated-by-moral-certitude-history-teaches-no-lasting-good/)

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