--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us repeat the two crucial negative…" description: "\"Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are not the things we are speaking about; and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg" --- # Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as… ![“Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are not the things we are speaking about; and (2) There is no such thing as an object in absolute isolation.” quote by Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg) > “Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are not the things we are speaking about; and (2) There is no such thing as an object in absolute isolation.” [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language refers to concepts, not the actual objects, and nothing exists completely isolated from context. **In simple terms:** Words are symbols, not things; objects are never truly isolated. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of language and context. Themes language philosophy relativity Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic discussion - philosophical debate - teaching - critical thinking Key Concepts semanticism object relations contextuality Questions to Reflect On - How does context shape meaning? - Can we ever speak about pure objects? A Different Perspective Words can never fully capture reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Isolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolation/) ## Related quotes > [I want to make clear only that words are not the things spoken about, and that there is no such thing as an object…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/i-want-to-make-clear-only-that-words-are-not-the-things-spoken-about/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [The present non-aristotelian system is based on fundamental negative premises; namely, the complete denial of 'identity.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/the-present-non-aristotelian-system-is-based-on-fundamental-negative/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [A great love is an absolute isolation and an absolute absorption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/a-great-love-is-an-absolute-isolation-and-an-absolute-absorption/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [Internet: absolute communication, absolute isolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-carvel/internet-absolute-communication-absolute-isolation/) [Paul Carvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-carvel/) > [As the young spend less of their lives in natural surroundings, their senses narrow, physiologically and psychologically and this reduces the richness of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/as-the-young-spend-less-of-their-lives-in-natural-surroundings-their/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [“The key to this translation of ideology to politics in both cases was an effective appeal to human experience at the crucial time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-key-to-this-translation-of-ideology-to-politics-in-both-cases-was/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I think it's something to do with the nurturing side of the psyche; tying up a sunflower or whatever and helping it grow, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-think-it-s-something-to-do-with-the-nurturing-side-of-the-psyche/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [“know that I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/know-that-i-m-not-a-human-being-having-a-spiritual-experience-i-m-a/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is no one way of seeing. Nor is there a right way of seeing. Yet simply to accept the notion that both the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-lasalle/there-is-no-one-way-of-seeing-nor-is-there-a-right-way-of-seeing-yet/) [Mick LaSalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-lasalle/) > [“Naval officers were not mother's sort; very few people were her sort in those days, and that was her trouble - a very authentic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/naval-officers-were-not-mother-s-sort-very-few-people-were-her-sort/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) ## More by Alfred Korzybski > [The objective level is not words, and cannot be reached by words alone. We must point our finger and be silent, or we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/the-objective-level-is-not-words-and-cannot-be-reached-by-words-alone/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/god-may-forgive-your-sins-but-your-nervous-system-won-t/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“We humans, through old habits, and because of the inherent structure of human knowledge have a tendency to make static, definite, and, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/we-humans-through-old-habits-and-because-of-the-inherent-structure-of/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [Whatever you say it is, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/whatever-you-say-it-is-it-isn-t/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [To regard human beings as tools - as instruments - for the use of other human beings is not only unscientific but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/to-regard-human-beings-as-tools-as-instruments-for-the-use-of-other/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [I am the same kind of moron as the rest of you, it's the method that does the work, for me as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/i-am-the-same-kind-of-moron-as-the-rest-of-you-it-s-the-method-that/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [Who rules our symbols, rules us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/who-rules-our-symbols-rules-us/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [Whatever you may say something is, it is not!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/whatever-you-may-say-something-is-it-is-not/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [Second order effects, such as belief in belief, makes fanaticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/second-order-effects-such-as-belief-in-belief-makes-fanaticism/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“Definitions create conditions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/definitions-create-conditions/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [Mathematics and logic have been proved to be one; a fact from which it seems to follow that mathematics may successfully deal with non-quantitative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/mathematics-and-logic-have-been-proved-to-be-one-a-fact-from-which-it/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [There are two ways to slice easily thorugh life; to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/there-are-two-ways-to-slice-easily-thorugh-life-to-believe-everything/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“Philosophy, as defined by Fichte, is the "science of sciences." Its aim was to solve the problems of the world. In the past, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/philosophy-as-defined-by-fichte-is-the-science-of-sciences-its-aim/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“There are two ways to slide easily through life: Namely, to believe everything, or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/there-are-two-ways-to-slide-easily-through-life-namely-to-believe/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [The present non-aristotelian system is based on fundamental negative premises; namely, the complete denial of 'identity.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/the-present-non-aristotelian-system-is-based-on-fundamental-negative/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) [Explore all 82 Alfred Korzybski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) ## More Human experience quotes > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) > [“Naval officers were not mother's sort; very few people were her sort in those days, and that was her trouble - a very authentic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/naval-officers-were-not-mother-s-sort-very-few-people-were-her-sort/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [“There is no one way of seeing. Nor is there a right way of seeing. Yet simply to accept the notion that both the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-lasalle/there-is-no-one-way-of-seeing-nor-is-there-a-right-way-of-seeing-yet/) [Mick LaSalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-lasalle/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [“know that I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/know-that-i-m-not-a-human-being-having-a-spiritual-experience-i-m-a/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I think it's something to do with the nurturing side of the psyche; tying up a sunflower or whatever and helping it grow, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-think-it-s-something-to-do-with-the-nurturing-side-of-the-psyche/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“The key to this translation of ideology to politics in both cases was an effective appeal to human experience at the crucial time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-key-to-this-translation-of-ideology-to-politics-in-both-cases-was/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [As the young spend less of their lives in natural surroundings, their senses narrow, physiologically and psychologically and this reduces the richness of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/as-the-young-spend-less-of-their-lives-in-natural-surroundings-their/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [“Lightly, caressingly, Marie Antoinette picked up the crown as a gift. She was still too young to know that life never gives anything for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lightly-caressingly-marie-antoinette-picked-up-the-crown-as-a-gift/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Intimacy with Wright had seemed necessary; an essential human experience she didn’t think she’d get anywhere else, at least not on her terms. Ryker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalie-stanton/intimacy-with-wright-had-seemed-necessary-an-essential-human/) Rosalie Stanton > [But anyway, it's obvious through human experience that extended families and tribes are terribly important. We can do without an extended family as human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/but-anyway-it-s-obvious-through-human-experience-that-extended/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I feel we have the opportunity of being part of a new and emerging category for human co-experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baszucki/i-feel-we-have-the-opportunity-of-being-part-of-a-new-and-emerging/) [David Baszucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baszucki/) [Browse all 799 Human experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are not the things we are speaking about; and (2) There is no such thing as an object in absolute isolation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred Korzybski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-premises-as-established-firmly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Human experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-premises-as-established-firmly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/alfred-korzybski-8234_human-experience_let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-p_223227.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us repeat the two crucial negative premises as established firmly by all human experience: (1) Words are…” — Alfred Korzybski", "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": "Alfred Korzybski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let us repeat the two crucial...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-premises-as-established-firmly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/let-us-repeat-the-two-crucial-negative-premises-as-established-firmly/#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 } } ] } ```