“Nothing fortifies scepticism more than the fact that there are some who are not sceptics; if all were so, they would be wrong.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“Nothing fortifies scepticism more than the fact that there are some who are not sceptics; if all were so, they would be wrong.”
Explanation
Pascal highlights the paradox at the heart of skepticism: it gains strength from disagreement, yet is undermined by universal acceptance. The skeptic doubts truth and certainty, and the presence of believers or non-skeptics provides a kind of contrast or tension that reinforces the skeptical stance—as if to say, “They are too certain; therefore, I have reason to doubt.” But if everyone were a skeptic, skepticism would lose its defining opposition and, ironically, collapse into just another dogma—a certainty in doubt.
This ironic observation fits within Pascal’s broader exploration in Pensées of the instability of both absolute belief and absolute doubt. He critiques both the unthinking believer and the hardened skeptic, showing that truth often lies in humility before uncertainty, rather than in total conviction or total negation. Pascal saw skepticism as a stage, not a destination—a means of clearing away false confidence so that a more genuine search for truth, including faith, could begin.
In a modern age filled with relativism, distrust of institutions, and competing truth claims, Pascal’s insight remains striking. Skepticism thrives on disagreement, yet it depends on the very certainty it critiques to maintain its stance. His quote challenges us to recognize that skepticism, when taken as an end in itself, becomes self-defeating, and that a balanced approach requires both critical doubt and the courage to believe where evidence and conscience allow.
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