--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among the illusions which have invested…" description: "\"Among the illusions which have invested our civilization is an absolute belief that the solutions to our problems must be a more determined application..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/voltaire-173_absolutes_among-the-illusions-which-have-invested_3054897.png" --- # Among the illusions which have invested our civilization… ![“Among the illusions which have invested our civilization is an absolute belief that the solutions to our problems must be a more determined application of rationally organized expertise... The reality is that our problems are largely the product of that application.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/voltaire-173_absolutes_among-the-illusions-which-have-invested_3054897.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/voltaire-173_absolutes_among-the-illusions-which-have-invested_3054897.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/voltaire-173_absolutes_among-the-illusions-which-have-invested_3054897.png) > “Among the illusions which have invested our civilization is an absolute belief that the solutions to our problems must be a more determined application of rationally organized expertise... The reality is that our problems are largely the product of that application.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief that rational expertise alone solves problems is illusion; it often creates those problems. **In simple terms:** Rational expertise can cause problems. Key Takeaway Question expertise, avoid over‑reliance on experts. Themes rationality expertise societal issues Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy making - organizational strategy - public discourse - technology development Key Concepts systems thinking unintended consequences Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance expertise with humility? - When does expertise become a problem? A Different Perspective Expertise without humility can worsen issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Application](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/application/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Expertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expertise/) [Expertise Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expertise-reality-5098702/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Illusions Invested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusions-invested-5098700/) [Invested Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invested-civilization-5098701/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problems Largely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-largely-5098703/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-problems-4744264/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-management/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/) ## Related quotes > [“Not feeling is no replacement for reality. 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In addition, the firm's risk management capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-powell/alignment-of-business-strategy-and-risk-appetite-should-minimize-the/) [Jerome Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-powell/) > [I think the rise of quantitative econometrics and a highly mathematical approach to risk management was the obverse of a decline in interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/i-think-the-rise-of-quantitative-econometrics-and-a-highly/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. 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I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. 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