Montaigne’s Quest for Truth Michel De Montaigne

I put forward formless and unresolved notions, as do those who publish doubtful questions to debate in the schools, not to establish the truth but to seek it.

Credit: Michel de Montaigne

This quote from Montaigne speaks to the value of questioning and exploring ideas without being tied to a predetermined conclusion.

By putting forward “formless and unresolved notions,” he suggests that we should be open to the possibility that our ideas and beliefs may not be fully formed or resolved and that we should be willing to engage in debate and discussion to seek out the truth.

Rather than seeking to establish the truth through dogmatic certainty, we should embrace seeking it through exploration and debate.

In short, Montaigne’s words remind us that it is the journey of seeking truth that is valuable rather than the destination of finding it.

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