--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no true expertise in the…" description: "\"There is no true expertise in the humanities without knowing all of the humanities. Art is a vast, ancient interconnected web-work, a fabricated tradit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/camille-paglia-652_ancient_there-is-no-true-expertise-in-the-humani_94300.png" --- # There is no true expertise in the humanities without… ![“There is no true expertise in the humanities without knowing all of the humanities. Art is a vast, ancient interconnected web-work, a fabricated tradition. Over-concentration on any one point is a distortion.” quote by Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/camille-paglia-652_ancient_there-is-no-true-expertise-in-the-humani_94300.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/camille-paglia-652_ancient_there-is-no-true-expertise-in-the-humani_94300.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/camille-paglia-652_ancient_there-is-no-true-expertise-in-the-humani_94300.png) > “There is no true expertise in the humanities without knowing all of the humanities. Art is a vast, ancient interconnected web-work, a fabricated tradition. Over-concentration on any one point is a distortion.” [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True expertise in humanities requires a holistic grasp of its many interconnected disciplines, not a narrow focus. **In simple terms:** Holistic knowledge over specialization. Key Takeaway Breadth fuels depth. Themes interdisciplinarity humanities knowledge integration cultural continuity intellectual humility Mood thoughtful inquisitive reflective Type philosophical analytical academic When to use this quote - academic research - curriculum design - cultural criticism - intellectual discourse - interdisciplinary projects Key Concepts humanities expertise interconnectedness tradition Practical Applications - designing liberal-arts programs - guiding interdisciplinary scholarship Questions to Reflect On - How does specialization limit understanding? - What benefits arise from a broad perspective? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Distortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distortion/) [Expertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expertise/) [Humanities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanities/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) ## Related quotes > [Throughout history, the arts and humanities have helped men and women around the globe grapple with the most challenging questions and come to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/throughout-history-the-arts-and-humanities-have-helped-men-and-women/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The number one problem in academia today is not ignorant students but ignorant professors, who have substituted narrow "expertise" and "theoretical sophistication" (a preposterous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-number-one-problem-in-academia-today-is-not-ignorant-students-but/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [At different times I taught humanities, social sciences and pre-vocational education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-different-times-i-taught-humanities-social-sciences-and-pre/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Combine science and humanities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/combine-science-and-humanities/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“What we have witnessed in our own time is the death of universities as centres of critique. Since Margaret Thatcher, the role of academia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/what-we-have-witnessed-in-our-own-time-is-the-death-of-universities/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Praise the humanities, my boy. That'll make them think you're broadminded!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/praise-the-humanities-my-boy-that-ll-make-them-think-you-re/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [We need to eliminate the existing hierarchy of subjects. Elevating some disciplines over others only reinforces outmoded assumptions of industrialism and offends the principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/we-need-to-eliminate-the-existing-hierarchy-of-subjects-elevating/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [Every high school and college graduate in America should, I think, have some familiarity with statistics, economics and a foreign language such as Spanish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-kristof/every-high-school-and-college-graduate-in-america-should-i-think-have/) [Nicholas Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-kristof/) > [“it is the very nature of the humanities, and in particular the study of literature, to help remind thoughtful people of the ambiguities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-wolfe/it-is-the-very-nature-of-the-humanities-and-in-particular-the-study/) [Gregory Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-wolfe/) > [Humanities deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for continuing our quest. and our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/humanities-deepest-desire-for-knowledge-is-justification-enough-for/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“In my parents' day and age, it used to be the person who fell short. 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The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Creativity is essential to particle physics, cosmology, and to mathematics, and to other fields of science, just as it is to its more widely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/creativity-is-essential-to-particle-physics-cosmology-and-to/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [In the humanities and social sciences, and in fields like journalism and economics and so on, people have to be trained to be managers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-humanities-and-social-sciences-and-in-fields-like-journalism/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Camille Paglia > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a registered Democrat, I am praying for a credible presidential candidate to emerge from the younger tier of politicians in their late 40s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/as-a-registered-democrat-i-am-praying-for-a-credible-presidential/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Once you have become the centre of a conflict in a complex governmental enterprise you have the obligation to resign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/once-you-have-become-the-centre-of-a-conflict-in-a-complex/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I believe that government should confine itself to the public realm and that it should be as stripped down as possible, within reason. 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There is no masculine power or privilege I did not covet. But slowly, step by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/in-the-theory-of-gender-i-began-from-zero-there-is-no-masculine-power/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I respect the astute and rigorously unsentimental David Horowitz as one of America's most original and courageous political analysts. He has the true 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-respect-the-astute-and-rigorously-unsentimental-david-horowitz-as/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [The followers of Derrida are pathetic, snuffling in French pockets for bits of pieces of a deconstructive method already massively and coherently presented and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-followers-of-derrida-are-pathetic-snuffling-in-french-pockets-for/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Gay men are guardians of the masculine impulse. To have anonymous sex in a dark alleyway is to pay homage to the dream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/gay-men-are-guardians-of-the-masculine-impulse-to-have-anonymous-sex/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Lesbian feminists, for all their ideals of sisterhood and solidarity, can treat each other with a fickleness, a parasitic exploitativeness, and vicious spite that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/lesbian-feminists-for-all-their-ideals-of-sisterhood-and-solidarity/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [ \[On Hollywood:\] America's greatest achievement. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/on-hollywood-america-s-greatest-achievement/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) [Explore all 427 Camille Paglia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no true expertise in the humanities without knowing all of the humanities. Art is a vast, ancient interconnected web-work, a fabricated tradition. 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