Logo - Feel The Words

Certitude Quotes

Quotes on the weight and risk of feeling certain.

Certitude appears here in very different settings - one quote treats it as a philosophical idea tied to how a person perceives external reality, while another applies it to tax policy and revenue projections. The range shows certitude describing both inner conviction and public Authority.

On the other hand, for the whole human being who wills, feels, and represents, external reality is given simultaneously and with as much certitude as his own self.

Quotes by Wilhelm Dilthey

The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon shook our nation to the core. Americans were deeply frightened, sad, and angry, and they rallied around a President who, at the time, showed impressive certitude and calm.

Quotes by Eliot Spitzer

Broaden the tax base, close loopholes and flatten the tax rates - all of which would bring more revenue stability and certitude to projections as well as make filing a comparable breeze.

Quotes by David Harsanyi

We live in a world in which data convey authority. But authority has a way of descending to certitude, and certitude begets hubris.

Quotes by Bret Stephens

Angry Quotes

Perhaps if there were less certitude about our climate future, more Americans would be interested in having a reasoned conversation about it.

Quotes by Bret Stephens

Frequently Asked Questions

What philosophical idea does the first certitude quote describe?
It argues that a person experiences the external world with the same degree of certainty they feel about their own Being, treating perception and self-awareness as equally solid.
How does one quote connect certitude to a national tragedy?
It recalls how fear and anger after the September 11th attacks led people to rally behind a leader who, in that moment, projected reassurance and steadiness.
Is certitude discussed in relation to tax policy?
Yes, one quote argues that broadening the tax base and flattening rates would make revenue projections more predictable, calling the resulting stability almost as easy as a Breeze to achieve.
Does any quote argue against too much certitude?
One does, suggesting that if people felt less certain about future climate outcomes, they might actually be more willing to have an honest, reasoned discussion about it.
Do these quotes treat certitude as always a good thing?
Not uniformly - while some link it to stability and calm leadership, others suggest excessive certainty can shut down useful debate, especially around unsettled topics like climate policy.

One quote even argues the opposite, suggesting that less certitude about climate outcomes might lead to more honest conversation. For more on how strong belief shapes public reaction, see the Angry quotes from the same uncertain period.