Art Quote by Thomas Carlyle
“Goethe's devil is a cultivated personage and acquainted with the modern sciences; sneers at witchcraft and the black art even while employing them, and doubts most things, nay, half disbelieves even his own existence.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Sartoris, 1851, Thomas Carlyle
A cultivated skeptic uses modern science while mocking superstition, yet doubts even his own existence.
In simple terms: A learned skeptic doubts everything, even himself.
Key Takeaway
Question your assumptions and seek humility.
Themes
skepticism
science
philosophy
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal introspection
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
existential doubt
intellectual humility
Questions to Reflect On
- What do you doubt about your own beliefs?
- How does skepticism affect your worldview?
A Different Perspective
Overconfidence can blind one to truth.
![“I don't know why people always compare me [ with Amiri Baraka] I was never part of the Black Arts Repertory Theater or the Black Arts Movement; people who claim that I was are wrong. I was downtown. I was living in Chelsea when they were operating in Harlem.” quote by Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2ec/ishmael-reed-7430_art_i-don-t-know-why-people-always-compare-m_1439827.jpg)
