Bertrand Russell, British author, mathematician, and philosopher (1872 - 1970) had once said “I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn’t wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine.” To be certain is to know completely, and that, in my opinion, is an impossible thing. We’re creatures of skepticism by nature, always questioning, being sure about something more than we’re certain about that something.

This doesn’t mean I necessarily disagree with William Lyon Phelps, American educator, journalist, and professor (1865 - 1943) in his belief that “If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.” We’re humans, impossible creatures that can break expectations and limitations if we so choose to, and so it’s not too unthinkable to believe if we have certainty in ourselves we’d be able to “accomplish virtually anything.” Sadly, as I said before, we’re humans, and we have no self-certainty. We’re sure of ourselves, but not certain of ourselves.

Doubt tempers us, and though we so hate having to doubt (doubt people, ourselves, etc.), doubt keep us safe. As we are impossible creatures, we’re also logical creatures. If we plan on jumping figurative hurdles to accomplish spectacular feats, doubt makes us rethink what might be poor reckless planning on our parts.

Call me pessimistic or whatever it is you want to call me, but Bertrand Russell is right, in my opinion, in that “we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt.” Doubt is much more certain than certainty itself is, that’s what I think.