--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reason, Observation and Experience — the…" description: "\"“Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of Science — have taught us that happiness is the only good; that the time to be happy is now, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/robert-green-ingersoll-361_belief_reason-observation-and-experience-the-ho_2902890.png" --- # Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of… ![“Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of Science — have taught us that happiness is the only good; that the time to be happy is now, and the way to be happy is to make others so. This is enough for us. In this belief we are content to live and die. If by any possibility the…” quote by Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/robert-green-ingersoll-361_belief_reason-observation-and-experience-the-ho_2902890.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/robert-green-ingersoll-361_belief_reason-observation-and-experience-the-ho_2902890.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/robert-green-ingersoll-361_belief_reason-observation-and-experience-the-ho_2902890.png) > ““Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of Science — have taught us that happiness is the only good; that the time to be happy is now, and the way to be happy is to make others so. This is enough for us. In this belief we are content to live and die. If by any possibility the existence of a power superior to, and independent of, nature shall be demonstrated, there will then be time enough to kneel. Until then, let us stand erect.”” [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is the ultimate good; we should pursue it now by making others happy, standing upright unless proven higher power exists. **In simple terms:** Happiness is the highest goal, achieved by helping others. Key Takeaway Live joyfully, help others. Themes ethics happiness humanism Mood optimistic thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily interactions - community service - personal conduct Key Concepts moral philosophy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you spread happiness today? - What does “standing erect” mean to you? A Different Perspective Relies on secular worldview; may not convince believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Holy trinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-trinity/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supernatural/) [Trinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trinity/) ## Related quotes > [Power. What do we mean? 'The ability to determine another man's luck.' ...how is it that some men attain mastery over others while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/power-what-do-we-mean-the-ability-to-determine-another-man-s-luck-how/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/reason-observation-and-experience-the-holy-trinity-of-science/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The music world taught me a lot.It taught me how much happiness it could take from you. J. Cole said it in that interview:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fetty-wap/the-music-world-taught-me-a-lot-it-taught-me-how-much-happiness-it/) [Fetty Wap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fetty-wap/) > [I'm a very positive person. My grandmother taught me that happiness is both a skill and a decision, and you are responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mccrory/i-m-a-very-positive-person-my-grandmother-taught-me-that-happiness-is/) [Helen McCrory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mccrory/) > [The modern holy trinity is money, sex and celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/the-modern-holy-trinity-is-money-sex-and-celebrity/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Being an agnostic means all things are possible, even God, even the Holy Trinity. This world is so strange that anything may happen, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/being-an-agnostic-means-all-things-are-possible-even-god-even-the/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I always use my 'Holy Trinity' which is salt, olive oil and bacon. My motto is, 'bacon always makes it better.' I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-burrell/i-always-use-my-holy-trinity-which-is-salt-olive-oil-and-bacon-my/) [Anne Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-burrell/) > [Freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of identity. This is my Holy Trinity, each one an intrinsic aspect of my god: Freedom, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-condell/freedom-of-thought-freedom-of-speech-freedom-of-identity-this-is-my/) [Pat Condell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-condell/) > [There is a Holy Trinity, and there is likewise a Trinity of Evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-pink-2/there-is-a-holy-trinity-and-there-is-likewise-a-trinity-of-evil/) A W Pink > [“The Theology of The Holy Trinity has been well established for 1700 years. In my opinion, it is hyper-evident by the New Testament manuscripts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/the-theology-of-the-holy-trinity-has-been-well-established-for-1700/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/go-therefore-and-make-disciples-of-all-the-nations/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [A Christian receives divine wisdom in three ways: by the commandments, teachings, and faith. The commandments free the mind from passions. Teachings lead it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/a-christian-receives-divine-wisdom-in-three-ways-by-the-commandments/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [The pure Deity is in all places and all corners, and present every where all over: the birth of the holy Trinity in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-bohme/the-pure-deity-is-in-all-places-and-all-corners-and-present-every/) [Jakob Bohme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-bohme/) > [Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity go on sending all the slaves that can be sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-us-in-the-name-of-the-holy-trinity-go-on-sending-all-the-slaves/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I accept the Organic Trinity of Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal with as much authority as I accept the Holy Trinity. Both are sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-accept-the-organic-trinity-of-mineral-vegetable-and-animal-with-as/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) ## More by Robert Green Ingersoll > [Our hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all religions come from that hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/our-hope-of-immortality-does-not-come-from-any-religions-but-nearly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I read the other day an account of a meeting between John Knox and John Calvin. Imagine a dialogue between a pestilence and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-read-the-other-day-an-account-of-a-meeting-between-john-knox-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Shakespeare has done far more for the world than the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/shakespeare-has-done-far-more-for-the-world-than-the-bible/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Every man who expresses an honest thought is a soldier in the army of intellectual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/every-man-who-expresses-an-honest-thought-is-a-soldier-in-the-army-of/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Liberty is the condition of progress. Without Liberty, there remains only barbarism. Without Liberty, there can be no civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/liberty-is-the-condition-of-progress-without-liberty-there-remains/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [It has been said that a man of genius should select his ancestors with great care - and yet there does not seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/it-has-been-said-that-a-man-of-genius-should-select-his-ancestors/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [When passions and appetites are stronger than the intellect, men are savages; when the intellect governs the passions, when the passions are servants, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/when-passions-and-appetites-are-stronger-than-the-intellect-men-are/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [In spite of my surroundings, of my education, I had no love for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/in-spite-of-my-surroundings-of-my-education-i-had-no-love-for-god/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The combined wisdom and genius of all mankind cannot possibly conceive of an argument against liberty of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-combined-wisdom-and-genius-of-all-mankind-cannot-possibly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Calvin founded a little theocracy, modeled after the Old Testament, and succeeded in erecting the most detestable government that ever existed, except the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/calvin-founded-a-little-theocracy-modeled-after-the-old-testament-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. Neither do I believe in revenge. No man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-do-not-believe-in-loving-enemies-i-have-pretty-hard-work-to-love-my/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [What is it that distinguishes you and me from the lower animals - from the beasts? More, I say, than anything else, human sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/what-is-it-that-distinguishes-you-and-me-from-the-lower-animals-from/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The literature of many lands is rich with the tributes that gratitude, admiration and love have paid to the great and honored dead. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-literature-of-many-lands-is-rich-with-the-tributes-that-gratitude/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Explore all 640 Robert Green Ingersoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [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/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Reason, Observation and Experience — the Holy Trinity of Science — have taught us that happiness is the only good; that the time to be happy is now, and the way to be happy is to make others so. This is enough for us. In this belief we are content to live and die. 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