Faith which does not doubt is dead faith.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
Cautiousness in judgment is nowadays to be recommended to each and every one: if we gained only one incontestable truth every ten years from each of our philosophical writers the harvest we reaped would be sufficient.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Suspicion is one of the morbid reactions by which an organism defends itself and seeks another equilibrium.
—Nathalie Sarraute (1900–99) French Novelist, Essayist
There is a kind of courtesy in skepticism. It would be an offense against polite conventions to press our doubts too far.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Lord I disbelieve—help thou my unbelief.
—E. M. Forster (1879–1970) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist
When nothing is sure, everything is possible.
—Margaret Drabble (b.1939) English Novelist, Biographer, Critic, Short Story Writer
Skepticism becomes the mark and even the pose of the educated mind. It is no longer directed against this and that article of the older creeds but is rather a bias against any kind of far-reaching ideas, and a denial of systematic participation on the part of such ideas in the intelligent direction of affairs.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
Suspicion is far more apt to be wrong than right; oftener unjust than just. It is no friend to virtue, and always an enemy to happiness.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Doubt indulged soon becomes doubt realized.
—Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–79) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
Never do anything concerning the rectitude of which you have a doubt.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79) Roman Statesman, Scholar
When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed.
—John Wesley (1703–91) British Methodist Religious Leader, Preacher, Theologian
Do not let yourself be tainted with a barren skepticism.
—Louis Pasteur (1822–95) French Biologist
Open your mouth and purse cautiously, and your stock of wealth and reputation shall, at least in repute, be great.
—Johann Jacob Zimmermann (1644–93) German Nonconformist Theologian, Mathematician, Astronomer
I’m delighted that the future is unsure. That’s the way it should be.
—William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Peace Activist
Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
The longing for certainty … is in every human mind. But certainty is generally illusion.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
Doubt is part of all religion. All the religious thinkers were doubters.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
To deny, to believe, and to doubt absolutely—this is for man what running is for a horse.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
When one devotes oneself to meditation, mental burdens, unnecessary worries, and wandering thoughts drop off one by one; life seems to run smoothly and pleasantly. A student may now depend on intuition to make decisions. As one acts on intuition, second thought, with its dualism, doubt and hesitation, does not arise.
—Nyogen Senzaki (1876–1958) Japanese Buddhist Monk
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
The end of doubt is the beginning of repose.
—Petrarch (1304–74) Italian Scholar, Poet, Humanist
Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
It is impossible on reasonable grounds to disbelieve miracles.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Doubt, the essential preliminary of all improvement and discovery, must accompany the stages of man’s onward progress. The faculty of doubting and questioning, without which those of comparison and judgment would be useless, is itself a divine prerogative of the reason.
—Albert Pike (1809–91) American Masonic Scholar, Orator, Jurist
When we are not sure, we are alive.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Doubts and jealousies often beget the facts they fear.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Four be the things I’d been better without: Love, curiosity, Freckles and doubt.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
Suspicion is a heavy armor and with its weight it impedes more than it protects.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts about reality.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Kill the snake of doubt in your soul, crush the worms of fear in your heart and mountains will move out of your way.
—Kate Seredy
Doubt is uncomfortable, certainty is ridiculous.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Life is doubt, and faith without doubt is nothing but death.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. Accept life, and you must accept regret.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
When unhappy, one doubts everything; when happy, one doubts nothing.
—Philibert Joseph Roux (1780–1854) French Surgeon
To doubt is worse than to have lost; And to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
The road to perseverance lies by doubt.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
But instinct is something which transcends knowledge. We have, undoubtedly, certain finer fibers that enable us to perceive truths when logical deduction, or any other willful effort of the brain, is futile.
—Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) Serbian-American Electrical Engineer, Inventor
Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any, but keep your doubts to yourself, for I have enough of my own.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.
—Frederick Buechner (b.1926) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Theologian
Suspicion is most often useless pain.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself.
—Henry Adams (1838-1918) American Historian, Man Of Letters
In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79) Roman Statesman, Scholar
Doubt is the incentive to truth and inquiry leads the way.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
In contemplation, if a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is — it is her shadow.
—Philip James Bailey (1816–1902) English Poet
A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.
—Alexandre Dumas pere (1802–1870) French Novelist, Playwright
The future is no more uncertain than the present.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
The torch of doubt and chaos is what the sage steers by.
—Zhuang Zhou (c.369–c.286 BCE) Chinese Taoist Philosopher
The doubt of an earnest, thoughtful, patient and laborious mind is worthy of respect. In such doubt may be found indeed more faith than in half the creeds.
—John Lancaster Spalding (1840–1916) American Catholic Clergyman, Educator, Essayist, Biographer
He that is overcautious will accomplish but very little.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Doubt breeds doubt.
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872) Austrian Dramatist, Playwright
The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.
—Ursula K. Le Guin (b.1929) American Science fiction and fantasy writer
He that knows nothing, doubts nothing.
—Common Proverb
If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable … we must be content to creep along the ground, and can never soar.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
To believe with certainty, we must begin by doubting.
—Polish Proverb
Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.
—Henri Poincare (1854–1912) French Mathematician
So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don’t sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life … The unexpected around the corner gives a sense of anticipation and surprise. Thank God for the unknown future.
—E. Stanley Jones (1884–1973) American Methodist Priest, Theologian
Certitude is not the test of certainty. We have been cocksure of many things that were not so.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
There is no advancement to him who stands trembling because he cannot see the end from the beginning.
—E. J. Klemme American Educator
All business proceeds on beliefs, or judgments of probabilities, and not on certainties.
—Charles William Eliot (1834–1926) American Educationalist
Hesitation increases in relation to risk in equal proportion to age.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
Weary the path that does not challenge. Doubt is an incentive to truth and patient inquiry leadeth the way.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
In the face of uncertainty, there is nothing wrong with hope.
—Bernie S. Siegel (b.1932) American Physician, Writer
Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
Obey your soul, have perfect faith in yourself. Never think of yourself with doubt or distrust, or as one who makes mistakes.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
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.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.
—Rosalynn Carter (b.1927) American Humanitarian, First Lady
Laugh at yourself, but don’t ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
—Alan Alda (b.1936) American Actor, TV Personality, Screenwriter
America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.
—Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929) French Head of State, Physician, Publisher, Political leader
Skepticism is the beginning of Faith.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Doubt is the vestibule which all must pass before they can enter the temple of wisdom. — When we are in doubt and puzzle out the truth by our own exertions, we have gained something that will stay by us and will serve us again. — But if to avoid the trouble of the search we avail ourselves of the superior information of a friend, such knowledge will not remain with us; we have not bought, but borrowed it.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
In all cases where doubt crops up, ask yourself, “If I had a gun to my head and had to do it, how would I do it?” It’s not as hard as you think.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars peace, love, hate, all that. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it’s unknown, and it’s plain sailing.
—John Lennon (1940–80) British Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Activist
A bitter and perplexed, “What shall I do?” is worse to man than worst necessity.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
We need others. We need others to love and we need to be loved by them. There is no doubt that without it, we too, like the infant left alone, would cease to grow, cease to develop, choose madness and even death.
—Leo Buscaglia (1924–98) American Motivational Speaker
Faith … acts promptly and boldly on the occasion, on slender evidence.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
The path of sound credence is through the thick forest of skepticism.
—George Jean Nathan (1882–1958) American Drama Critic, Editor