"Absurdism, like methodical doubt, has wiped the slate clean. It leaves us in a blind alley. But, like methodical doubt, it can, by returning upon itself, open up a new field of investigation, and in the process of reasoning then pursues the same course. I proclaim that I believe in nothing and that everything is absurd, but I cannot doubt the validity of my proclamation and I must at least believe in my protest."
Doubt quotes
Doubt
3.1K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
Explore further
Topics related to Doubt
Browse quotes that often appear alongside doubt — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
Quote collection
Doubt quotes (page 12 of 154)
Follow a thought to its author, or read the full quote page.
"Those of us who have transcended mythical belief systems know without any doubt that there is no God up in the sky. But when we awaken to what I call the evolutionary impulse - the mysterious passion to evolve, to become, to develop on every level-we rediscover who God is."
"Doubt is but another element of faith."
"Every mental act is composed of doubt and belief, but it is belief that is the positive, it is belief that sustains thought and holds the world together."
"I did not imitate the skeptics who doubt only for doubting's sake, and pretend to be always undecided; on the contrary, my whole intention was to arrive at a certainty, and to dig away the drift and the sand until I reached the rock or the clay beneath."
"When you feel sad, it's okay. It's not the end of the world. Everyone has those days when you doubt yourself, and when you feel like everything you do sucks, but then there's those days when you feel like Superman. It's just the balance of the world. I just write to feel better."
"When in doubt take a bath"
"Without doubt, the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people."
"The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when it be obeyed."
"One must always hope when one is desperate, and doubt when one hopes."
"Without doubt, Thomas Edison is my greatest contemporary."
"You were my hope during my days of loneliness, my anxiety during moments of doubt, my certainty during moments of faith."
"A woman will doubt everything you say except it be compliments to herself."
"When you know who you are and what you stand for, you stand in wisdom."
"Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt that thematic closure is never attainable."
"The United States is only one superpower. Today they lead the world. Nobody has doubts about it. Militarily. They also lead economically but they're getting weak. But they don't lead morally and politically anymore. The world has no leadership. The United States was always the last resort and hope for all other nations. There was the hope, whenever something was going wrong, one could count on the United States. Today, we lost that hope."
"I doubt if there is anything in the world uglier than a Midwestern city."
"Never doubt what comes from the heart, your feelings know you better than anything else."
"It is necessary to sleep upon the pillow of doubt."
"When in doubt, tell the truth. That maxim I did invent, but never expected it to be applied to me. I did say, "When you are in doubt," but when I am in doubt myself I use more sagacity."