Doubt is not a pleasant condition. But certainty is an absurd one.

Le doute n'est pas un etat bien agreable, mais l'assurance est un etat ridicule.

Voltaire

More information about this quote

Topic

Doubt vs. certainty Doubt and skepticism Certainty

Author

Voltaire

Medium

Letter

Language

French

Time

1770 1770s 18th century

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

France Europe

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Voltaire. Letter to Frederick William. 28 Nov. 1770.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Voltaire about doubt vs. certainty: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition. But certainty is an absurd one.”
Download
A quote by Voltaire about doubt vs. certainty: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition. But certainty is an absurd one.”
Download
A quote by Voltaire about doubt vs. certainty: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition. But certainty is an absurd one.”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Voltaire

All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

Voltaire

Candide

Buy Candide at Amazon Buy Candide at Amazon
Read Candide at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Problem of evil Nature of the world The world
Speaker
Pangloss

Author

Voltaire
Source
Candide
Medium
Novel
Genre
Satire
Language
French
Time
1759 1750s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 1.

Another quote from the 1770s

Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself; that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them.

Thomas Jefferson

More information about this quote
Topic
Power of truth Truth and error

Author

Thomas Jefferson
Language
English
Time
1779 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. 18 June 1779.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. "An Act for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1779." The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Including the Autobiography, The Declaration of Independence & His Public and Private Letters, edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden. Modern Library, 1998.

Another quote originally in French

Marriage must ceaselessly combat a monster that devours everything: habit.

Honoré de Balzac

Physiologie du Mariage

Read The Physiology of Marriage at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Relationship challenges Marriage

Author

Honoré de Balzac
Source
Physiologie du Mariage
Language
French
Time
1829 1820s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

De Balzac, Honoré. Physiologie du mariage [Physiology of Marriage]. Paris, 1829, pt. 1, meditation 5, no. 47.