---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always to see the general in the…"
description: "\"Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.\" — Arthur Schopenhauer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg"
---

#  Always to see the general in the particular is the very…

![“Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg)

> “Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.”

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Seeing the universal patterns within specific details is the basis of deep insight and creativity.

**In simple terms:** Understanding specifics reveals universal truths.

Key Takeaway

Look for broader patterns in details.

Themes

genius analysis creativity

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- research
- art critique
- problem solving
- teaching

Key Concepts

philosophy pattern recognition

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance detail with generalization?
- What universal truths can you find in everyday events?

A Different Perspective

May overlook unique nuances when overgeneralizing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Foundation Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation-genius-2492077/) [General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general/) [General Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-particular-1394674/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Particular Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular-foundation-2492078/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/)

## Related quotes

> [To see what is general in what is particular, and what is permanent in what is transitory, is the aim of scientific thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/to-see-what-is-general-in-what-is-particular-and-what-is-permanent-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [The principle is so perfectly general that no particular application of it is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/the-principle-is-so-perfectly-general-that-no-particular-application/)

[George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/)

> [People like change in general, but not in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/people-like-change-in-general-but-not-in-particular/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [“He scowled at the world in general, and me in particular.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blackwell/he-scowled-at-the-world-in-general-and-me-in-particular/)

[Tammy Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blackwell/)

> [There is a great difference, whether the poet seeks the particular for the sake of the general or sees the general in the particular.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-a-great-difference-whether-the-poet-seeks-the-particular-for/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [When I was a child, we always had wine on the table, no matter how simple the meal. The wine had no special identity;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-i-was-a-child-we-always-had-wine-on-the-table-no-matter-how/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [When I was at school you got an overall general education on many things, even just basic facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/when-i-was-at-school-you-got-an-overall-general-education-on-many/)

[Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/)

> [“General education is not, only the way to be educated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakhru-uddin-ahammed/general-education-is-not-only-the-way-to-be-educated/)

[Fakhru Uddin Ahammed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakhru-uddin-ahammed/)

> [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/)

[Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/)

> [It is in general the unexplored that attracts us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murasaki-shikibu/it-is-in-general-the-unexplored-that-attracts-us/)

[Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murasaki-shikibu/)

> [People bring up tweets that I don't even remember, and my general response is, 'I don't know if I said it. I probably said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/people-bring-up-tweets-that-i-don-t-even-remember-and-my-general/)

[Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/)

> [I've never had a couch that needed to be cleaned or learned how to couch-clean in general. That feels too grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/i-ve-never-had-a-couch-that-needed-to-be-cleaned-or-learned-how-to/)

[Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/)

> [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/)

[Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/)

> [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

## More by Arthur Schopenhauer

> [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“In accordance with such zeal, by reducing the external world to a matter of faith, he wanted merely to open a little door for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-accordance-with-such-zeal-by-reducing-the-external-world-to-a/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“Imitation and custom are the spring of almost all human action. The cause of it is that men fight shy of all and any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/imitation-and-custom-are-the-spring-of-almost-all-human-action-the/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [ \[T\]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between-man-and-man-ought-to-be-not/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [The eternal being..., as it lives in us, also lives in every animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-eternal-being-as-it-lives-in-us-also-lives-in-every-animal/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [there are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-are-very-few-who-can-think-but-every-man-wants-to-have-an/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [It is not what things are objectively and in themselves, but what they are for us, in our way of looking at them, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/it-is-not-what-things-are-objectively-and-in-themselves-but-what-they/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [ “\[Materialism\] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-simple-state-of-matter-and/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“For the will, as that which is common to all, is for that reason also common: consequently, every vehement emergence of will is common,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/for-the-will-as-that-which-is-common-to-all-is-for-that-reason-also/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“Alles Urdenken geschieht in Bildern: darum ist die Phantasie ein so nothwendiges Werkzeug desselben, und werden phantasielose Köpfe nie etwas Großes leisten, - es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/alles-urdenken-geschieht-in-bildern-darum-ist-die-phantasie-ein-so/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/intellect-is-invisible-to-the-man-who-has-none/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [Newspapers are the second hand of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/newspapers-are-the-second-hand-of-history/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“In travelling where novelties of all kinds press in upon us, mental food is often supplied so rapidly from without that there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-travelling-where-novelties-of-all-kinds-press-in-upon-us-mental/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

[Explore all 791 Arthur Schopenhauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

## More Education quotes

> [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/)

[Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/)

> [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [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/)

> [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/)

[Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/)

> [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/)

[H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/)

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/)

[Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/)

> [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/)

[Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/)

[Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Arthur Schopenhauer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particular-is-the-very-foundation-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Education"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particular-is-the-very-foundation-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/arthur-schopenhauer-226_education_always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particu_1859264.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.” — Arthur Schopenhauer",
                "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": "Arthur Schopenhauer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Always to see the general in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particular-is-the-very-foundation-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/always-to-see-the-general-in-the-particular-is-the-very-foundation-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
