Progress is slow partly from mere intellectual inertia. In…
“Progress is slow partly from mere intellectual inertia. In a subject where there is no agreed procedure for knocking out errors, doctrines have a long life. A professor teaches what he was taught, and his pupils, with a proper respect and reverence for teachers, set up a resistance against his critics for no other reason than that it was he whose pupils they were.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Intellectual inertia slows progress; without agreed methods, outdated ideas persist as teachers and students resist critique out of respect.
In simple terms: Resistance to new ideas slows progress.
Key Takeaway
Question questioning and open debate.
Themes
intellectual inertia
progress
education
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- policy development
- curriculum design
- peer review
Key Concepts
critical thinking
academic tradition
methodology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions foster constructive critique?
- What mechanisms reduce reliance on outdated doctrines?
A Different Perspective
Change can be hindered by reverence for authority.