Rene Descartes Quotes

Skepticism is the first step on the road to philosophy.

By doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

Doubt is the incentive to truth and inquiry leads the way.

Skepticism is the first step towards truth.

Believe those who seek the truth; doubt those who find it.

Doubt is the origin of wisdom.

In philosophy you're never 100% sure. You're always undermining what you think you know. That's always been my philosophy and my intellectual ethos.

By doubting we come to questioning, and by questioning we perceive the truth.

We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt. People search for certainty. But there is no certainty.

Belief in truth begins with doubting all that has hitherto been believed to be true.

Skepticism may undermine beliefs, but never belief.

A thing is not proved because no one has ever questioned it... Skepticism is the first step toward truth.

Doubt is the first step towards knowledge, not faith.

Inquiry is fatal to certainty.

It is by doubting that we come to investigate, and by investigating that we recognize the truth.

Uncertainty is a very good thing: it's the beginning of an investigation, and the investigation should never end.

The skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches, as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found.

The key to wisdom is this - constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth.

True science teaches, above all, to doubt

Constant and frequent questioning is the first key to wisdom … For through doubting we are led to inquire, and by inquiry we perceive the truth.

We'd all like to be certain of what we know, but I think the most important question is to ask yourself do you really know what you know?

It is wiser to find out than to suppose.

My skepticism is strong, but my curiosity is stronger.

I think the appropriate kind of skepticism is this: you've got to be asking questions all the time, you've also got to make sure that you're doing so in the spirit of genuinely wanting to find the answers - and that also means being open. I battle with this: I know I tend to be very skeptical and as a result, I veer towards the dismissive. But being aware of the tendency, I like to challenge my own skepticism and make sure it's not just knee-jerk. You need to be skeptical towards yourself as well. When you're only skeptical outwards you've got an unbalanced skepticism.