Anecdotes Quote by Thomas L. Dumm
“In one of my favorite anecdotes about Foucault, someone asks him why he writes books. He responds by saying something like "When I begin to write a book, I do not know how it will come out, what it will say in the end. If I already did, I wouldn't need to write it."”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast on Philosophy, 2020
Writing without certainty embraces discovery; the process matters more than predetermined outcomes.
In simple terms: Write without knowing the ending.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty in creation.
Themes
creativity
uncertainty
process
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- research projects
- artistic experiments
Key Concepts
philosophy
writing
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you fear the unknown in your work?
- How does uncertainty fuel innovation?
A Different Perspective
Some may view this as excuse for lack of planning.
![“I worry that we don't currently have a democracy in the United States. Instead we have what [political philosopher] Sheldon Wolin has recently labeled a sort of inverted totalitarianism.” quote by Thomas L. Dumm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dcf/thomas-l-dumm-34424_democracy_i-worry-that-we-don-t-currently-have-a-d_849481.jpg)
