Apes Quote by Dale Jamieson
“The problem is that the Enlightenment dream may make too many demands on poor African apes like us. We may just not be up to it.”
About This Quote
Source Article: The Moral Limits of the Enlightenment, 2020
The Enlightenment ideal can be overly demanding for disadvantaged groups, exposing their limitations.
In simple terms: High ideals may overwhelm the poor.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and adjust expectations for vulnerable populations.
Themes
justice
inequality
human rights
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy design
- NGO programs
- education reform
- community support
Key Concepts
Enlightenment
social theory
capability approach
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance lofty goals with realistic capacities?
- What support structures are needed for the disadvantaged?
A Different Perspective
Idealism can ignore practical constraints and systemic barriers.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
