According to the technical language of old writers, a thing and its qualities are described as subject and attributes; and thus a man's faculties and acts are attributes of which he is the subject. The mind is the subject in which ideas inhere. Moreover, the man's faculties and acts are employed upon external objects; and from objects all his sensations arise. Hence the part of a man's knowledge which belongs to his own mind, is subjective: that which flows in upon him from the world external to him, is objective.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The mind holds ideas; external objects cause sensations; knowledge splits into subjective and objective parts.
- In plain terms
- Ideas reside in the mind, while senses come from outside, making knowledge partly internal and partly external.
- What can you take from it?
- Distinguish between personal perception and external reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you balance subjective and objective knowledge?
Another view
The dichotomy oversimplifies complex interactions.
More from William Whewell
Every failure is a step to success. Every detection of what is false directs us towards what is true: every trial exhausts some tempting form of error. Not onl…
Permalink to quote #3 By speaking of space as an Idea, I intend to imply...that the apprehension of objects as existing in space, and of the relations of position, &c., prevailing a…
Permalink to quote #5 We cannot observe external things without some degree of Thought; nor can we reflect upon our Thoughts, without being influenced in the course of our reflectio…
Permalink to quote #2
Related quotes
We cannot observe external things without some degree of Thought; nor can we reflect upon our Thoughts, without being influenced in the course of our reflectio…
William WhewellWilliam Whewell quote #2 Power of mind is infinite while brawn is limited.
Koichi ToheiKoichi Tohei quote #1 Truth lies within a little and certain compass, but error is immense.
Henry, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke St JohnHenry, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke St John quote #1