Q0271
“The quest for certainty…has always been a quest for a peace that…” — John Dewey (The Quest for Certainty)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Quest for Certainty. Theme: knowledge.
English
The quest for certainty…has always been a quest for a peace that is assured.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to The Quest for Certainty and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About John Dewey
John Dewey (1859–1952) was the leading American pragmatist of the progressive era, joining philosophy to experimental education and democratic reform. Educated at Vermont and Johns Hopkins, he taught at Michigan, Chicago—where he ran the Laboratory School—and Columbia.
How to read this passage
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge.
Concepts in this quote
- Knowledge
- Knowledge is the philosophical study of what we can justifiably claim to know—and where certainty ends.
How to cite this quotation
APA: John Dewey. (n.d.). The quest for certainty…has always been a quest for a peace that is assured. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0271
MLA: John Dewey. “The quest for certainty…has always been a quest….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0271.
Chicago: John Dewey. “The quest for certainty…has always been a quest….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0271.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The quest for certainty…has always been a quest…”?
The passage is attributed to John Dewey, The Quest for Certainty. The archive attributes this English wording to The Quest for Certainty and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does John Dewey mean by knowledge?
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge.