--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But once we recognize that many ideas…" description: "\"But once we recognize that many ideas that are taken to be quintessentially Western have also flourished in other civilizations, we also see that these..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/amartya-sen-2518_brotherhood_but-once-we-recognize-that-many-ideas-th_1339209.png" --- # But once we recognize that many ideas that are taken to be… ![“But once we recognize that many ideas that are taken to be quintessentially Western have also flourished in other civilizations, we also see that these ideas are not as culture-specific as is sometimes claimed. We need not begin with pessimism, at least on this ground, about the prospects of…” quote by Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/amartya-sen-2518_brotherhood_but-once-we-recognize-that-many-ideas-th_1339209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/amartya-sen-2518_brotherhood_but-once-we-recognize-that-many-ideas-th_1339209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/amartya-sen-2518_brotherhood_but-once-we-recognize-that-many-ideas-th_1339209.png) > “But once we recognize that many ideas that are taken to be quintessentially Western have also flourished in other civilizations, we also see that these ideas are not as culture-specific as is sometimes claimed. We need not begin with pessimism, at least on this ground, about the prospects of reasoned humanism in the world.” [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing that ideas often labeled as uniquely Western also emerged elsewhere shows cultural ideas are more universal, supporting optimism for global humanism. **In simple terms:** Western ideas also appear in other cultures, suggesting universality. Key Takeaway Embrace a hopeful view of worldwide reasoned humanism. Themes cultural exchange philosophy humanism optimism Mood thoughtful inspired Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - education curricula - policy debates - intercultural dialogue - academic research Key Concepts cross‑cultural diffusion intellectual history global ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do we identify truly universal ideas? - What barriers exist to accepting shared intellectual heritage? A Different Perspective Some societies may still resist universalist narratives, leading to tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilizations Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilizations-ideas-4518057/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Humanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanism/) [Humanism World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanism-world-4511129/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-culture-315025/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Prospects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prospects/) [Reasoned Humanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoned-humanism-4518056/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Unity in diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity-in-diversity/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The West, both the elites (consciously) and ordinary people (sub-consciously), want Russia to go to hell; to disappear, drown, explode. It is because Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-west-both-the-elites-consciously-and-ordinary-people-sub/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [It is curious that what these psychedelics do, on a scale of a community, is they release new ideas. . . . And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/it-is-curious-that-what-these-psychedelics-do-on-a-scale-of-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [In times of totalitarian or autocratic rule, music (indeed culture in general) is often the only avenue of independent thought. It is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-barenboim/in-times-of-totalitarian-or-autocratic-rule-music-indeed-culture-in/) [Daniel Barenboim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-barenboim/) > [“Ideas and their creators run the world…one’s place in the world is due partially to the ideas that a culture has forced on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/ideas-and-their-creators-run-the-world-one-s-place-in-the-world-is/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [Often culture gets stuck in static, traditional narratives. Contemporary ideas give culture elasticity, flexibility, which is always a breath of fresh air. But these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bradford/often-culture-gets-stuck-in-static-traditional-narratives/) [Mark Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bradford/) > [Any classification according to a singular identity polarizes people in a particular way, but if we take note of the fact that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/any-classification-according-to-a-singular-identity-polarizes-people/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [The best hope for peace in the world lies in the simple but far-reaching recognition that we all have many different associations and affiliations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-best-hope-for-peace-in-the-world-lies-in-the-simple-but-far/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [When we enlarge our view of the world, we deepen our understanding of our own lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-ma/when-we-enlarge-our-view-of-the-world-we-deepen-our-understanding-of/) [Yo-Yo Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-ma/) > [Unity in diversity is the highest possible attainment of a civilization, a testimony to the most noble possibilities of the human race. This attainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/unity-in-diversity-is-the-highest-possible-attainment-of-a/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Christian, Jew, Muslim, shaman, Zoroastrian, stone, ground, mountain, river, each has a secret way of being with the mystery, unique and not to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/christian-jew-muslim-shaman-zoroastrian-stone-ground-mountain-river/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Weakening the federal structure essentially hampers our unity in diversity, India's biggest strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pinarayi-vijayan/weakening-the-federal-structure-essentially-hampers-our-unity-in/) [Pinarayi Vijayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pinarayi-vijayan/) > [I felt knowledge and the unity of the world circulate in me like my own blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-felt-knowledge-and-the-unity-of-the-world-circulate-in-me-like-my/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [There will be peace on earth when there is peace among the world religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/there-will-be-peace-on-earth-when-there-is-peace-among-the-world/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) > [All conflict is about difference; whether the difference is race religion, or nationality...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/all-conflict-is-about-difference-whether-the-difference-is-race/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) ## More by Amartya Sen > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/where-the-mind-is-without-fear-and-the-head-is-held-high-where/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people, championed by proficient artisans of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/violence-is-fomented-by-the-imposition-of-singular-and-belligerent/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I think the whole progress over the last two or three millennia has been entirely dependent on ideas and techniques and commodities and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-think-the-whole-progress-over-the-last-two-or-three-millennia-has/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/no-famine-has-ever-taken-place-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-a/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [To say that certainly America was very lucky to get a large amount of land, and the native Indians were extremely unlucky to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/to-say-that-certainly-america-was-very-lucky-to-get-a-large-amount-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [The lack of economic freedom could be a very major reason for loss of liberty, liberty of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-lack-of-economic-freedom-could-be-a-very-major-reason-for-loss-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We need to ask the moral questions: Do I have a right to be rich? And do I have a right to be content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/we-need-to-ask-the-moral-questions-do-i-have-a-right-to-be-rich-and/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“He wrote extensively on how schools should be made more attractive to boys and girls and thus more productive. His own co-educational school at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/he-wrote-extensively-on-how-schools-should-be-made-more-attractive-to/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [One has to be realistic. One’s concern for equity and justice in the world must not carry one into the alien territory of unreasoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/one-has-to-be-realistic-one-s-concern-for-equity-and-justice-in-the/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [While I am interested both in economics and in philosophy, the union of my interests in the two fields far exceeds their intersection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/while-i-am-interested-both-in-economics-and-in-philosophy-the-union/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I was born in a University campus and seem to have lived all my life in one campus or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-was-born-in-a-university-campus-and-seem-to-have-lived-all-my-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [If jobs are important, education is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/if-jobs-are-important-education-is-important/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Thailand's economic development was driven by educational expansion. That has been a very dramatic factor, and South Asia had been pretty miserable in not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/thailand-s-economic-development-was-driven-by-educational-expansion/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) [Explore all 162 Amartya Sen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## More Brotherhood quotes > [ The best way to marginalize the Muslim Brotherhood \[in Egypt\] is in the ballot box, not through arrests and killing people. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/the-best-way-to-marginalize-the-muslim-brotherhood-in-egypt-is-in-the/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [Saying that the origin of the Islamic State (IS) is within the Muslim Brotherhood organisation only strengthens IS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/saying-that-the-origin-of-the-islamic-state-is-is-within-the-muslim/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [“All the same I keep on looking for someone incomprehensible who won't understand me either, because I have a terrible thirst for brotherhood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-ajar/all-the-same-i-keep-on-looking-for-someone-incomprehensible-who-won-t/) [Emile Ajar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-ajar/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [This is me and my older brother alasandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother/this-is-me-and-my-older-brother-alasandro/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother/) > [You may call for peace as loudly as you wish, but where there is no brotherhood there can in the end be no peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/you-may-call-for-peace-as-loudly-as-you-wish-but-where-there-is-no/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [Forgiving the men who killed my parents and brother was a process, a journey into deeper and deeper prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immaculee-ilibagiza/forgiving-the-men-who-killed-my-parents-and-brother-was-a-process-a/) [Immaculee Ilibagiza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immaculee-ilibagiza/) > [Overall, we had about 50 meetings where the brothers would say that I couldn't do any solo records, I couldn't write for other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-hagar/overall-we-had-about-50-meetings-where-the-brothers-would-say-that-i/) [Sammy Hagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-hagar/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [My brothers and I would try to talk our dad into letting us stay up and watch 'Star Trek.' I remember watching it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/my-brothers-and-i-would-try-to-talk-our-dad-into-letting-us-stay-up/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I work incredibly hard - just like every other person in business and work. And aside from the fact of, yes, I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-william-middleton/i-work-incredibly-hard-just-like-every-other-person-in-business-and/) [James William Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-william-middleton/) > [I have 10 brothers and sisters. My mother raised us because my father died when I was 8.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/i-have-10-brothers-and-sisters-my-mother-raised-us-because-my-father/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [A League of Their Own' had some special meaning for me, I guess - it's about women joining together and being empowered, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/a-league-of-their-own-had-some-special-meaning-for-me-i-guess-it-s/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) [Browse all 3,733 Brotherhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But once we recognize that many ideas that are taken to be quintessentially Western have also flourished in other civilizations, we also see that these ideas are not as culture-specific as is sometimes claimed. 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