--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men may be born free; they cannot be born…" description: "\"Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.\" — Adlai Stevenson I" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png" --- # Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is… ![“Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.” quote by Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png) > “Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.” [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom alone is insufficient; education must cultivate wisdom. **In simple terms:** Freedom needs wisdom from education. Key Takeaway Teach critical thinking. Themes education freedom wisdom Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - college curricula - public policy - personal development Key Concepts Philosophy of education civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can universities foster wisdom? - What role does free thought play in learning? A Different Perspective Wisdom cannot be forced, only nurtured. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Born free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-free/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [I am an American; free born and free bred, where I acknowledge no man as my superior, except for his own worth, or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-an-american-free-born-and-free-bred-where-i-acknowledge-no-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > […Always knew, I was not like everybody else, if they were blue I would paint myself just to stand out…You never get it wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-rubyz/always-knew-i-was-not-like-everybody-else-if-they-were-blue-i-would-2/) The Rubyz > [Rousseau had it backwards. We are NOT born free. We are born in the chains of the random and the reflexive, and are ignorant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mitchell/rousseau-had-it-backwards-we-are-not-born-free-we-are-born-in-the/) [Richard Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mitchell/) > [You are born free. I was born free. The government can take your freedom away, but it did not give you your freedom. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/you-are-born-free-i-was-born-free-the-government-can-take-your/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [To be born in a free society and not to be born free is to be born into a lie. To be told by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/to-be-born-in-a-free-society-and-not-to-be-born-free-is-to-be-born/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [“You are free.You were born free and you can do whatever you want but between the limits”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raya-hatahet/you-are-free-you-were-born-free-and-you-can-do-whatever-you-want-but/) Raya Hatahet > [I blame Rousseau, myself. "Man is born free", indeed. Man is not born free, he is born attached to his mother by a cord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-whitehorn/i-blame-rousseau-myself-man-is-born-free-indeed-man-is-not-born-free/) [Katharine Whitehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-whitehorn/) > [“The country therefore was not “born free” but born slave and free, servant and master, tenant and landlord, poor and rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-country-therefore-was-not-born-free-but-born-slave-and-free/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I was not born with a hunger to be free, I was born free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-was-not-born-with-a-hunger-to-be-free-i-was-born-free/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I was not born to be free---I was born to adore and obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-not-born-to-be-free-i-was-born-to-adore-and-obey/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...it is always wise to do one's duty, however unpleasant that duty may seem to be." -Ozma”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/it-is-always-wise-to-do-one-s-duty-however-unpleasant-that-duty-may/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [If men were born free, they would, so long as they remained free, form no conception of good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/if-men-were-born-free-they-would-so-long-as-they-remained-free-form/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [I have come to realise that men are not born to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-have-come-to-realise-that-men-are-not-born-to-be-free/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [All men are born free: just not for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-men-are-born-free-just-not-for-long/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“It is quite useless to declare that all men are born free if you deny that they are born good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/it-is-quite-useless-to-declare-that-all-men-are-born-free-if-you-deny/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by Adlai Stevenson I > [An independent is the guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/an-independent-is-the-guy-who-wants-to-take-the-politics-out-of/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/the-sound-of-tireless-voices-is-the-price-we-pay-for-the-right-to/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Here, in the dread tribunal of last resort, valor contended against valor. Here brave men struggled and died for the right as God gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/here-in-the-dread-tribunal-of-last-resort-valor-contended-against/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Our strength lies, not alone in our proving grounds and our stockpiles, but in our ideals, our goals, and their universal appeal to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/our-strength-lies-not-alone-in-our-proving-grounds-and-our-stockpiles/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/some-of-us-worship-in-churches-some-in-synagogues-some-on-golf-courses/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A man doesn't save a century, or a civilization, but a militant party wedded to a principle can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-man-doesn-t-save-a-century-or-a-civilization-but-a-militant-party/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A wise man does not try to hurry history. Many wars have been avoided by patience, and many have been precipitated by reckless haste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-wise-man-does-not-try-to-hurry-history-many-wars-have-been-avoided/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [I have been told that one of the reasons the astronomers of the world cooperate is the fact that there is no one nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/i-have-been-told-that-one-of-the-reasons-the-astronomers-of-the-world/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The tragedy of our day is the climate of fear in which we live, and fear breeds repression. Too often sinister threats to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/the-tragedy-of-our-day-is-the-climate-of-fear-in-which-we-live-and/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, and a very present help in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-lie-is-an-abomination-unto-the-lord-and-a-very-present-help-in/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [It is in the nature of cats to do a certain amount of unescorted roaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/it-is-in-the-nature-of-cats-to-do-a-certain-amount-of-unescorted/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Self-Criticism is the secret weapon of democracy, and candor and confession are good for the political soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/self-criticism-is-the-secret-weapon-of-democracy-and-candor-and/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Why is it that when political ammunition runs low, inevitably the rusty artillery of abuse is always wheeled into action?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/why-is-it-that-when-political-ammunition-runs-low-inevitably-the/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [ \[I\]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/i-t-is-difficult-to-picture-the-great-creator-conceiving-of-a-program/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) [Explore all 20 Adlai Stevenson I quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/if-you-can-believe-it-hollywood-wanted-to-change-my-birthdate-i-was/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) Browse all 11,606 Born quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adlai Stevenson I" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Born" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_born_men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born_279585.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.” — Adlai Stevenson I", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adlai Stevenson I", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men may be born free; they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```