--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a profoundly erroneous truism…" description: "\"“It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg" --- # It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all… ![“It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of operations which we can…” quote by E.D. Hirsch Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg) > ““It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle—they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments.”” [E.D. Hirsch Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilization advances by automating routine thought, reserving conscious deliberation for critical decisions. **In simple terms:** Automation frees thought for crucial moments. Key Takeaway Automate routine tasks to focus on important decisions. Themes automation thought civilization efficiency decision making Mood explanatory philosophical Type Communication:0 Habits:0 Thinking:0 Philosophy of Mind:0 Habit Thinking:0 Operations Thought:0 Perform Thinking:0 Thinking Operations:0 When to use this quote - technology - education - management Key Concepts cognitive load reduction strategic thinking Questions to Reflect On - pragmatic - thoughtful A Different Perspective What tasks should be automated?;When is deep thinking essential? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Habit Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit-thinking-306175/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Operations Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operations-thought-1187529/) [Perform Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perform-thinking-1187530/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Operations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-operations-1187531/) ## Related quotes > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“It is a profoundly erroneous truism that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-that-we-should-cultivate-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [It is a profoundly erroneous truism, repeated by all copy books and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repeated-by-all-copy-books-and-by/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [My "thinking" time was devoted mainly to activities that were essentially clerical or mechanical: searching, calculating, plotting, transforming, determining the logical or dynamic consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-r-licklider/my-thinking-time-was-devoted-mainly-to-activities-that-were-2/) [J. C. R. Licklider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-r-licklider/) > [My lectures were highly esteemed, but my operations less thought of, so that I am of opinion that my operations rather kept down my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astley-cooper/my-lectures-were-highly-esteemed-but-my-operations-less-thought-of-so/) [Astley Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astley-cooper/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“The habit of thinking in terms of comparison is a fatal one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-habit-of-thinking-in-terms-of-comparison-is-a-fatal-one/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I don't want to get into the habit of thinking about my career because when it comes down to it, it's not that important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/i-don-t-want-to-get-into-the-habit-of-thinking-about-my-career/) [River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/) > [The problem with Indians is that we have lost the habit of thinking big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhirubhai-ambani/the-problem-with-indians-is-that-we-have-lost-the-habit-of-thinking/) [Dhirubhai Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhirubhai-ambani/) > [It's just as hard for man to break the habit of thinking of himself as central to the species as it was to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-morgan/it-s-just-as-hard-for-man-to-break-the-habit-of-thinking-of-himself/) [Elaine Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-morgan/) > [People who develop the habit of thinking of themselves as world citizens are fulfilling the first requirement of sanity in our time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/people-who-develop-the-habit-of-thinking-of-themselves-as-world/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [It's ok to care about what other people think, but you should give a little more weight to what you, yourself, think...The habit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/it-s-ok-to-care-about-what-other-people-think-but-you-should-give-a/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [The painter has to unlearn the habit of thinking that things seem to have the color which common sense says they 'really' have, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-painter-has-to-unlearn-the-habit-of-thinking-that-things-seem-to/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“The habit of thinking of ourselves as sublime, or having a lofty conception of our possibilities, of imagining ourselves as being commanded by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-habit-of-thinking-of-ourselves-as-sublime-or-having-a-lofty/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Education is the methodical creation of the habit of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-dimnet/education-is-the-methodical-creation-of-the-habit-of-thinking/) [Ernest Dimnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-dimnet/) ## More by E.D. Hirsch Jr > [“Differences in reading ability between five-year olds and eight-year olds are caused primarily by the older children's possessing more knowledge, not by the differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/differences-in-reading-ability-between-five-year-olds-and-eight-year/) [E.D. Hirsch Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/) [Explore all 2 E.D. Hirsch Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [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/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) [Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle—they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E.D. Hirsch Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repeated-by-all-copybooks-and-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repeated-by-all-copybooks-and-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/e-d-hirsch-jr-2-108746_communication_it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repe_97018.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making…” — E.D. Hirsch Jr", "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": "E.D. Hirsch Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is a profoundly erroneous truism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repeated-by-all-copybooks-and-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr-2/it-is-a-profoundly-erroneous-truism-repeated-by-all-copybooks-and-by/#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 } } ] } ```