There is always in the healthy mind an obscure prompting…
“There is always in the healthy mind an obscure prompting that religion teaches us rather to dig than to climb; that if we could once understand the common clay of earth we should understand everything. Similarly, we have the sentiment that if we could destroy custom at a blow and see the stars as a child sees them, we should need no other apocalypse. This is the great truth which has always lain at the back of baby-worship, and which will support it to the end.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Understanding the fundamental material of the world reveals deeper truths, and shedding societal conventions can restore childlike wonder.
In simple terms: Seeing basic reality and dropping customs reveal truth.
Key Takeaway
Seek simple truths and keep wonder alive.
Themes
philosophy
religion
wonder
convention
truth
Mood
curious
contemplative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- spiritual inquiry
- creative thinking
Key Concepts
materialism
skepticism
childlike perception
Questions to Reflect On
- What basic truths are you overlooking?
- How can you balance wonder with responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The idea may overlook practical constraints of societal structures.