--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The interest I have to believe a thing is…" description: "\"The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png" --- # The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that… ![“The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png) > “The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.” [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. Having belief in something doesn't constitute evidence of its existence. **In simple terms:** Belief is not proof. Key Takeaway Seek evidence before accepting claims. Themes skepticism logic belief Mood skeptical thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - debates - scientific research - media consumption - personal decisions Key Concepts Epistemology critical thinking philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate belief from knowledge? - When is belief acceptable? A Different Perspective Belief can be useful socially even without proof. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-thing/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Proof Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-thing-3758297/) [Thing Exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-exists-1087047/) [Thing Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-proof-651123/) ## Related quotes > [O was infinitely more moving when her body was covered with marks, of whatever kind, if only because these marks made it impossible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/o-was-infinitely-more-moving-when-her-body-was-covered-with-marks-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The proof of a thing's being right is that it has power over the heart; that it excites us, wins us, or helps us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-proof-of-a-thing-s-being-right-is-that-it-has-power-over-the/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I take my work seriously, but it's not the only thing that exists in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-take-my-work-seriously-but-it-s-not-the-only-thing-that-exists-in/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Cuddling is by far the best thing that exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emalie-newhall/cuddling-is-by-far-the-best-thing-that-exists/) [Emalie Newhall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emalie-newhall/) > [I like to think we're not the only thing that exists on the plane of existence. I like to think that just because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wan/i-like-to-think-we-re-not-the-only-thing-that-exists-on-the-plane-of/) [James Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wan/) > [The only thing that exists to me is commercial pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gibb/the-only-thing-that-exists-to-me-is-commercial-pop-music/) [Barry Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gibb/) > [We are here to add to the sum of human goodness. To prove the thing exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-hart/we-are-here-to-add-to-the-sum-of-human-goodness-to-prove-the-thing/) [Josephine Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-hart/) > [The only thing that exists is torment, lyricism, and the magnificence of language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-exists-is-torment-lyricism-and-the-magnificence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's nothing better than finishing something and looking at it. 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"Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-is-no-proof-that-such-a-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-is-no-proof-that-such-a-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abd/voltaire-173_believe_the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-i_1260885.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists.” — Voltaire", "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": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The interest I have to believe...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-is-no-proof-that-such-a-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-interest-i-have-to-believe-a-thing-is-no-proof-that-such-a-thing/#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 } } ] } ```