Question Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Question Quotes

"Well, because lots of questions had been raised about the toxicity of the drug, which is very serious."

"Well, because lots of questions had been raised about the toxicity of the drug, which is very serious."

Thabo Mbeki, South African Statesman

Question, Questions, Southafrican

27

"This is definitely a playoff team. There's no question about that. It's just a matter of how much we want it."

"This is definitely a playoff team. There's no question about that. It's just a matter of how much we want it."

Peter Bondra, Ukrainian Athlete

24

"But heat can also be produced by the friction of liquids, in which there could be no question of changes in structure, or of the liberation of latent heat."

"But heat can also be produced by the friction of liquids, in which there could be no question of changes in structure, or of the liberation of latent heat."

Hermann von Helmholtz, German Physicist

19

"One of the fundamental questions of today's world is undoubtedly the question of equitable globalisation."

"One of the fundamental questions of today's world is undoubtedly the question of equitable globalisation."

Janez Drnovsek, Slovenian Statesman

Question, Questions, Today, World

19

"That is a good question for you to ask, not a wise question for me to answer."

"That is a good question for you to ask, not a wise question for me to answer."

Anthony Eden, English Politician

18

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question."

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question."

Eugene Ionesco, French Dramatist

16

"The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?""

"The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?""

Jeremy Bentham, English Philosopher

Question, Reason, Talk

14

"Non-technical questions sometimes don't have an answer at all."

"Non-technical questions sometimes don't have an answer at all."

Linus Torvalds, Finnish Businessman

Question, Questions

12

"To do or not to do... that is the question."

"To do or not to do... that is the question."

Jeff Rich, American Explorer

12

"The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself."

"The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself."

Ursula K. Le Guin, American Writer

Question, Questions

12

"I've been fortunate to come on places where the question isn't why did I do it? The question to me is always, why didn't anybody else do it before me? Those are the ones that I scratch my head about."

"I've been fortunate to come on places where the question isn't why did I do it? The question to me is always, why didn't anybody else do it before me? Those are the ones that I scratch my head about."

Todd McFarlane, Canadian Artist

11

"I try to ask visual questions. I'll ask what someone was wearing, if that seems relevant. If possible, I'll walk over the same ground that they're depicting. Of course, I can never get it precisely as it was."

"I try to ask visual questions. I'll ask what someone was wearing, if that seems relevant. If possible, I'll walk over the same ground that they're depicting. Of course, I can never get it precisely as it was."

Joe Sacco, Maltese Journalist

Question, Questions

11

"Far better an approximate answer to the right question, which is often vague, than the exact answer to the wrong question, which can always be made precise."

"Far better an approximate answer to the right question, which is often vague, than the exact answer to the wrong question, which can always be made precise."

John Tukey, American Scientist

Question, Right, Wrong

11

"The most important question in the world is, 'Why is the child crying?'"

"The most important question in the world is, 'Why is the child crying?'"

Alice Walker, American Author

Question, World

10

"I asked Dalai Lama the most important question that I think you could ask - if he had ever seen Caddyshack."

"I asked Dalai Lama the most important question that I think you could ask - if he had ever seen Caddyshack."

Jesse Ventura, American Politician

10

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."

Zora Neale Hurston, American Dramatist

Question, Questions, Years

9

"We have to be that wedge that drives the question and asks the hard questions."

"We have to be that wedge that drives the question and asks the hard questions."

Danny Glover, American Actor

Question, Questions

9

"That is the essence of science: ask an impertinent question, and you are on the way to a pertinent answer."

"That is the essence of science: ask an impertinent question, and you are on the way to a pertinent answer."

Jacob Bronowski, English Scientist

8

"I was unpopular at school just because I was an intellectual. I always answered all the questions off the top of my head but they nevertheless resented because of that."

"I was unpopular at school just because I was an intellectual. I always answered all the questions off the top of my head but they nevertheless resented because of that."

George Woodcock, Canadian Writer

Question, Questions, School

8

"So it eventually became a question of WHEN they were going to make a movie."

"So it eventually became a question of WHEN they were going to make a movie."

Paul M. Glaser, American Actor

8

"Every clarification breeds new questions."

"Every clarification breeds new questions."

Arthur Bloch, American Author

Question, Questions

8

"I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions."

"I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions."

Lou Holtz, American Coach

Question, Questions, Talking

7

"Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much."

"Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much."

Francis Bacon, English Philosopher

Question, Questions

7

"Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions."

"Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions."

Jerry Falwell, American Clergyman

Question, Questions, Soldiers

7

"I was raised with the notion that it was OK to ask questions, and it was OK to say, I'm not sure. I believe, but I'm not quite so certain about the resurrection."

"I was raised with the notion that it was OK to ask questions, and it was OK to say, I'm not sure. I believe, but I'm not quite so certain about the resurrection."

Peter Jennings, Canadian Journalist

Question, Questions

6

"Sometimes we question things that we have done in our lives but how many times do we question what we haven't done in someone else's."

"Sometimes we question things that we have done in our lives but how many times do we question what we haven't done in someone else's."

Ian Thorpe, Australian Athlete

6

"I tell fundamentalists that there is no question of them attacking our Republic's foundations."

"I tell fundamentalists that there is no question of them attacking our Republic's foundations."

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, French Politician

6

"There are two sides to every question."

"There are two sides to every question."

Protagoras, Greek Philosopher

6

"I am writing a sequel to The Touch because I want to further explore the Chinese question that I have raised. There will be more about that in a sequel."

"I am writing a sequel to The Touch because I want to further explore the Chinese question that I have raised. There will be more about that in a sequel."

Colleen McCullough, Australian Author

Question, Want, Will, Writing

6

"Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question."

"Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question."

e. e. cummings, American Poet

6

"Then they held my mouth shut for a while and hit me in the face, and with a whip across chest and back. I then collapsed, rolled on the floor, always keeping face down and no longer replied to any of their questions."

"Then they held my mouth shut for a while and hit me in the face, and with a whip across chest and back. I then collapsed, rolled on the floor, always keeping face down and no longer replied to any of their questions."

Ernst Thalmann, German Politician

Question, Questions

6

"Without question, conditions in the Haiti are worse since Aristide's removal, and continue to deteriorate."

"Without question, conditions in the Haiti are worse since Aristide's removal, and continue to deteriorate."

Charles Rangel, American Politician

5

"All television is educational television. The question is: what is it teaching?"

"All television is educational television. The question is: what is it teaching?"

Nicholas Johnson, American Commissioner

Question, Teaching, Television

5

"I accept reality and dare not question it."

"I accept reality and dare not question it."

Walt Whitman, American Poet

Question, Reality

5

"Self-respect is a question of recognizing that anything worth having has a price."

"Self-respect is a question of recognizing that anything worth having has a price."

Joan Didion, American Author

Question, Self, Worth

5

"The prosecution wants to make sure the process by which the evidence was obtained is not truthfully presented, because, as often as not, that process will raise questions."

"The prosecution wants to make sure the process by which the evidence was obtained is not truthfully presented, because, as often as not, that process will raise questions."

Alan Dershowitz, American Lawyer

Question, Questions, Will

5

"The real questions are: Does it solve a problem? Is it serviceable? How is it going to look in ten years?"

"The real questions are: Does it solve a problem? Is it serviceable? How is it going to look in ten years?"

Charles Eames, American Designer

Question, Questions, Years

5

"To rule is not so much a question of the heavy hand as the firm seat."

"To rule is not so much a question of the heavy hand as the firm seat."

Jose Ortega Y Gasset, Spanish Philosopher

5

"'What do you really think happens after you die?' That's the question that everyone, everyone, everyone asks. And I'm so sick of it. But my true answer is, I don't know. And there's no way I'm going to find out 'til it happens."

"'What do you really think happens after you die?' That's the question that everyone, everyone, everyone asks. And I'm so sick of it. But my true answer is, I don't know. And there's no way I'm going to find out 'til it happens."

Ellen Muth, American Actress

5

"A psychologist said to me, there are only two important questions you have to ask yourself. What do you really feel? And, what do you really want? If you can answer those two, you probably can leave your neuroses behind you."

"A psychologist said to me, there are only two important questions you have to ask yourself. What do you really feel? And, what do you really want? If you can answer those two, you probably can leave your neuroses behind you."

Harold Ramis, American Actor

Question, Questions, Want

5

"It was not easy to get all my questions answered, frankly."

"It was not easy to get all my questions answered, frankly."

Richard Ben Veniste, American Lawyer

Question, Questions

5

"Can postmodernism hold the perpetrators of genocide accountable?"

"Can postmodernism hold the perpetrators of genocide accountable?"

Catharine MacKinnon, American Activist

Question, Genocide

5

"The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question."

"The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question."

Stephen Jay Gould, American Scientist

5

"The risk from viruses is an unanswered question - and it won't be answered until you have had organs transplanted into humans over many years."

"The risk from viruses is an unanswered question - and it won't be answered until you have had organs transplanted into humans over many years."

Ian Smith, British Prime Minister

Question, Risk, Years

5

"But you can make good radio, interesting radio, great radio even, without an urgent question, a burning issue at stake."

"But you can make good radio, interesting radio, great radio even, without an urgent question, a burning issue at stake."

Ira Glass, American Journalist

4

"Just before she died she asked, What is the answer? No answer came. She laughed and said, In that case, what is the question? Then she died."

"Just before she died she asked, What is the answer? No answer came. She laughed and said, In that case, what is the question? Then she died."

Gertrude Stein, American Author

4

"Philosophers are adults who persist in asking childish questions."

"Philosophers are adults who persist in asking childish questions."

Isaiah Berlin, Russian Philosopher

Question, Questions

4

"I guess the one question I will not get today is: When are you going to do anything about cellular?"

"I guess the one question I will not get today is: When are you going to do anything about cellular?"

Bernard Ebbers, Canadian Businessman

Question, Today, Will

4

"I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question."

"I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question."

Yogi Berra, American Athlete

4

"I don't think a tough question is disrespectful."

"I don't think a tough question is disrespectful."

Helen Thomas, American Journalist

4

bottom of page