--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to acquire learning, we must…" description: "\"In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.\" — Alfred North Whitehead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png" --- # In order to acquire learning, we must first shake… ![“In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png) > “In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To truly learn, one must first let go of preconceived notions and be open to new experiences that challenge existing understanding. **In simple terms:** Learning requires shedding old assumptions. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to foster deeper learning. Themes learning philosophy open-mindedness intellectual humility Mood inquisitive motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - creative brainstorming - personal growth workshops - cross‑disciplinary collaboration Key Concepts epistemology cognitive flexibility critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs are you ready to question? - How can you create space for new ideas? A Different Perspective Letting go can be uncomfortable; fear of loss may hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) ## Related quotes > [The most important skill to acquire now is learning how to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/the-most-important-skill-to-acquire-now-is-learning-how-to-learn/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-a-world-that-is-constantly-changing-there-is-no-one-subject-or-set/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [No one has the right to shake his finger in your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/no-one-has-the-right-to-shake-his-finger-in-your-face/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I shake my booty all the time! It's the best workout!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-simpson/i-shake-my-booty-all-the-time-it-s-the-best-workout/) [Ashlee Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-simpson/) > [I was always the bad guy in westerns. I played more bad guys than you can shake a stick at until I played the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-johnson/i-was-always-the-bad-guy-in-westerns-i-played-more-bad-guys-than-you/) [Russell Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-johnson/) > [When you can turn people on their head and shake them and no money falls out, then you know God's saying, "Move on, son."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-allen/when-you-can-turn-people-on-their-head-and-shake-them-and-no-money/) A. A. Allen > [You go shake your foundations, Will. I think it's about time I saved myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-go-shake-your-foundations-will-i-think-it-s-about-time-i-saved/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [You know those little snow globes that you shake up? I always thought my brain was sort of like that. You know, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/you-know-those-little-snow-globes-that-you-shake-up-i-always-thought/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Keep away from fantasy. Shake off the image,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/keep-away-from-fantasy-shake-off-the-image/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Shoulder ... shake ... a little lingerie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-raftery/shoulder-shake-a-little-lingerie/) Bill Raftery > [Take yourself by the scruff of the neck and shake off your incarnate laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/take-yourself-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck-and-shake-off-your-incarnate/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Back in my rummy days, I would tremble and shake for hours upon arising. It was the only exercise I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/back-in-my-rummy-days-i-would-tremble-and-shake-for-hours-upon/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Behind each door we shake is a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akiane-kramarik/behind-each-door-we-shake-is-a-reality/) [Akiane Kramarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akiane-kramarik/) > [Last good pratfall I did, I broke bones in both hands. I still feel it when people shake my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/last-good-pratfall-i-did-i-broke-bones-in-both-hands-i-still-feel-it/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) ## More by Alfred North Whitehead > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/philosophy-begins-in-wonder-and-at-the-end-when-philosophic-thought/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The pursuit of mathematics is a divine madness of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-pursuit-of-mathematics-is-a-divine-madness-of-the-human-spirit/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Without adventure all civilization is full of decay. Adventure rarely reaches its predetermined end. Columbus never reached China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/without-adventure-all-civilization-is-full-of-decay-adventure-rarely/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Aristotle discovered all the half-truths which were necessary to the creation of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/aristotle-discovered-all-the-half-truths-which-were-necessary-to-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [On the ostensible exactitude of certain branches of human knowledge, including mathematics. The exactness is a fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/on-the-ostensible-exactitude-of-certain-branches-of-human-knowledge/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [It is this union of passionate interest in the detailed facts with equal devotion to abstract generalisation which forms the novelty in our present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-this-union-of-passionate-interest-in-the-detailed-facts-with/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of infinitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/our-minds-are-finite-and-yet-even-in-these-circumstances-of/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The many become one and are increased by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-many-become-one-and-are-increased-by-one/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/art-is-the-imposing-of-a-pattern-on-experience-and-our-aesthetic/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The future belongs to those who can rise above the confines of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-rise-above-the-confines-of-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Common sense is genius in homespun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/common-sense-is-genius-in-homespun/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Everyone is a philosopher. Not everyone is good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/everyone-is-a-philosopher-not-everyone-is-good-at-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/do-not-teach-too-many-subjects-and-what-you-teach-teach-thoroughly/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Explore all 356 Alfred North Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred North Whitehead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-first-shake-ourselves-free-of-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-first-shake-ourselves-free-of-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-fir_1036964.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.” — Alfred North Whitehead", "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 North Whitehead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In order to acquire learning, we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-first-shake-ourselves-free-of-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-first-shake-ourselves-free-of-it/#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 } } ] } ```