---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human mind is generally far more…"
description: "\"The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or dispraise than it is to describe and define.\" — C. S. Lewis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png"
---

#  The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or…

![“The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or dispraise than it is to describe and define.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png)

> “The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or dispraise than it is to describe and define.”

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## About This Quote

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

People prefer quick judgments over careful definition, limiting understanding.

**In simple terms:** We favor praise or blame over precise description.

Key Takeaway

Seek deeper understanding before judging.

Themes

critical thinking communication philosophy

Mood

analytical reflective

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

- debates
- education
- media analysis

Key Concepts

cognitive bias language precision

Questions to Reflect On

- How often do you define before judging?
- What benefits arise from precise language?

A Different Perspective

Complex topics may resist simple labels.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Eager Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eager-praise-3098517/) [Far Eager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-eager-3098516/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-generally-3098518/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praise Dispraise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-dispraise-3098519/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [“The human mind is generally far more eager to praise and dispraise than to describe and define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eager-to-praise-and-dispraise/)

[Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/)

> [“The bearded creatures are quite as eager for praise, quite as finikin over their toilets, quite as proud of their personal advantages, quite as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/the-bearded-creatures-are-quite-as-eager-for-praise-quite-as-finikin/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [ Neither praise nor dispraise thy selfe, thy actins serve the turne. \[Neither praise nor dispraise thyself; thy actions serve the turn.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/neither-praise-nor-dispraise-thy-selfe-thy-actins-serve-the-turne/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [Thy praise or dispraise is to me alike; One doth not stroke me, nor the other strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/thy-praise-or-dispraise-is-to-me-alike-one-doth-not-stroke-me-nor-the/)

[Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/)

> [The greatest achievements of the human mind are generally received with distrust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-greatest-achievements-of-the-human-mind-are-generally-received/)

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

> [The mind generally takes up various objects, runs into all sorts of things. That is the lower state. There is a higher state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-mind-generally-takes-up-various-objects-runs-into-all-sorts-of/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Education, and the life of the mind generally, is a matter in which individual initiative is the chief thing needed; the function of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/education-and-the-life-of-the-mind-generally-is-a-matter-in-which/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Freedom is the very essence of our economy and society. Without freedom the human mind is prevented from unleashing its creative force. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/freedom-is-the-very-essence-of-our-economy-and-society-without/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it and desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/just-take-one-thing-out-and-the-whole-palace-the-whole-edifice-of-the/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“But I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Whatever the Party holds to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/but-i-tell-you-winston-that-reality-is-not-external-reality-exists-in/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [“The more that the human mind is enlightened, the more desirous it becomes of farther acquisitions in knowledge. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stewart/the-more-that-the-human-mind-is-enlightened-the-more-desirous-it/)

[Alexander Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stewart/)

> [Dogma is a powerful way of closing human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marley/dogma-is-a-powerful-way-of-closing-human-mind/)

[Peter Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marley/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

## More by C. S. Lewis

> [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

[Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## More Human mind quotes

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Dogma is a powerful way of closing human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marley/dogma-is-a-powerful-way-of-closing-human-mind/)

[Peter Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marley/)

> [“The more that the human mind is enlightened, the more desirous it becomes of farther acquisitions in knowledge. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stewart/the-more-that-the-human-mind-is-enlightened-the-more-desirous-it/)

[Alexander Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stewart/)

> [“But I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Whatever the Party holds to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/but-i-tell-you-winston-that-reality-is-not-external-reality-exists-in/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it and desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/just-take-one-thing-out-and-the-whole-palace-the-whole-edifice-of-the/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Freedom is the very essence of our economy and society. Without freedom the human mind is prevented from unleashing its creative force. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/freedom-is-the-very-essence-of-our-economy-and-society-without/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [Charity is the filthiest invention of the human mind: first you steal what belongs to everyone; then you use the law and various other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/charity-is-the-filthiest-invention-of-the-human-mind-first-you-steal/)

[U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/)

> [“artificial intelligence is forcing human endeavor away from simple, algorithmic and repetitive tasks towards solving problems and incubating new ideas. It is the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyan-nagpal/artificial-intelligence-is-forcing-human-endeavor-away-from-simple/)

[Gyan Nagpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyan-nagpal/)

> [“There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not shows us the intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-and-those-who-think-they-are/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Story is one of the foundation stones of the human mind along with rhythm and chant. If a collection of facts lacks a narrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vehafric/story-is-one-of-the-foundation-stones-of-the-human-mind-along-with/)

[Frank Vehafric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vehafric/)

> [“A sense of security, a feeling that a truce was established between the present hour and the irresistible, disastrous future imparted to me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/a-sense-of-security-a-feeling-that-a-truce-was-established-between/)

[Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/)

> [What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-us-human-is-not-our-mind-but-our-heart-not-our-ability-to/)

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

> [This is one of the glories of man, the inventiveness of the human mind and the human spirit: whenever life doesn't seem to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/this-is-one-of-the-glories-of-man-the-inventiveness-of-the-human-mind/)

[Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/)

[Browse all 1,417 Human mind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or dispraise than it is to describe and define.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "C. S. Lewis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eager-to-praise-or-dispraise/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Human mind"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eager-to-praise-or-dispraise/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/c-s-lewis-2-132_human-mind_the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eag_331034.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The human mind is generally far more eager to praise or dispraise than it is to describe and define.” — C. S. Lewis",
                "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": "C. S. Lewis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The human mind is generally far...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eager-to-praise-or-dispraise/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-mind-is-generally-far-more-eager-to-praise-or-dispraise/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
