---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To believe and to understand are not…"
description: "\"To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.\" — Samuel Taylor Coleridge"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg"
---

#  To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but…

![“To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg)

> “To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.”

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

## About This Quote

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

Understanding grows from belief; they are stages of the same learning process.

**In simple terms:** Belief and understanding are linked.

Key Takeaway

Recognize belief as a step toward deeper insight.

Themes

learning growth philosophy

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- personal development
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

epistemology development cognition

Questions to Reflect On

- How does belief evolve into understanding?
- When does belief hinder learning?

A Different Perspective

Belief without reflection can mislead.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/)

## Related quotes

> [Weve always done a bunch of musically diverse things. We were just showing a broader side of the band, the more melodic stuff we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/weve-always-done-a-bunch-of-musically-diverse-things-we-were-just/)

[Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/)

> [I like seeing things that you don't normally see. Black people are so diverse, we do so many things, we have given so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tichina-arnold/i-like-seeing-things-that-you-don-t-normally-see-black-people-are-so/)

[Tichina Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tichina-arnold/)

> [But O the truth, the truth. The many eyes That look on it The diverse things they see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/but-o-the-truth-the-truth-the-many-eyes-that-look-on-it-the-diverse/)

[George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/)

> [We've always done a bunch of musically diverse things. We were just showing a broader side of the band, the more melodic stuff we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/we-ve-always-done-a-bunch-of-musically-diverse-things-we-were-just/)

[Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/)

> [Before I settled on music, I wanted to be an archaeologist, an astronaut, all sorts of really diverse things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/before-i-settled-on-music-i-wanted-to-be-an-archaeologist-an/)

[Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/)

> [Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-why-you-believe-understand-what-you-believe-and-possess-a-reason/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“They don’t actually believe in anything, you understand, so much as they have the habit of believing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/they-don-t-actually-believe-in-anything-you-understand-so-much-as/)

[Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/)

> [“credo ut intelligam. (i believe so i can understand).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/credo-ut-intelligam-i-believe-so-i-can-understand/)

[Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/)

> [Many believe they understand me.The truth is,no one knows who I really am.If you can't read my mind,don't assume you know who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/many-believe-they-understand-me-the-truth-is-no-one-knows-who-i/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/men-are-most-apt-to-believe-what-they-least-understand/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [I want to make everyone believe that they can understand math and science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-want-to-make-everyone-believe-that-they-can-understand-math-and/)

[Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/)

> [I believe that we must understand the economy of the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/i-believe-that-we-must-understand-the-economy-of-the-situation/)

[Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/)

> [“I know you think you believe you understand what you thought I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-nixon/i-know-you-think-you-believe-you-understand-what-you-thought-i-said/)

[Richard Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-nixon/)

> [Lord, I believe. I may not always understand, but I trust you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lord-i-believe-i-may-not-always-understand-but-i-trust-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Faith seeks, understanding finds. This is why the prophet says, ‘Unless you believe, you will not understand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/faith-seeks-understanding-finds-this-is-why-the-prophet-says-unless/)

[Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/)

## More by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

> [Humor is consistent with pathos, whilst wit is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/humor-is-consistent-with-pathos-whilst-wit-is-not/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [The first duty of a wise advocate is to convince his opponents that he understands their arguments, and sympathies with their just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-first-duty-of-a-wise-advocate-is-to-convince-his-opponents-that/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/and-the-devil-did-grin-for-his-darling-sin-is-pride-that-apes-humility/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Facts are not truths; they are not conclusions; they are not even premises, but in the nature and parts of premises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/facts-are-not-truths-they-are-not-conclusions-they-are-not-even/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [I do not wish you to act from these truths; no, still and always act from your feelings; only meditate often on these truths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/i-do-not-wish-you-to-act-from-these-truths-no-still-and-always-act/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-poet-ought-not-to-pick-nature-s-pocket-let-him-borrow-and-so-borrow/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [With no other privilege than that of sympathy and sincere good wishes, I would address an affectionate exhortation to the youthful literati, grounded on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/with-no-other-privilege-than-that-of-sympathy-and-sincere-good-wishes/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Ignorance seldom vaults into knowledge...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/ignorance-seldom-vaults-into-knowledge/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee, Whether the summer clothe the general earth With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing Betwixt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/therefore-all-seasons-shall-be-sweet-to-thee-whether-the-summer/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Why are not more gems from our great authors scattered over the country? Great books are not in everybody's reach; and though it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/why-are-not-more-gems-from-our-great-authors-scattered-over-the/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [Life went a-maying With Nature, Hope, and Poesy, When I was young!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/life-went-a-maying-with-nature-hope-and-poesy-when-i-was-young/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [No voice; but oh - the silence sank Like music on my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/no-voice-but-oh-the-silence-sank-like-music-on-my-heart/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [The three great ends which a statesman ought to propose to himself in the government of a nation, are 1. Security to possessors; 2.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-three-great-ends-which-a-statesman-ought-to-propose-to-himself-in/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [“We in ourselves rejoice! And thence flows all that charms or ear or sight, All melodies the echoes of that voice, All colours a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/we-in-ourselves-rejoice-and-thence-flows-all-that-charms-or-ear-or/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

[Explore all 570 Samuel Taylor Coleridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel Taylor Coleridge"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-diverse-things-but-the-same/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-diverse-things-but-the-same/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_believe_to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-div_1064503.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge",
                "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": "Samuel Taylor Coleridge",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To believe and to understand are...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-diverse-things-but-the-same/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/to-believe-and-to-understand-are-not-diverse-things-but-the-same/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
