--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has always surprised me how little…" description: "\"It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason. Reason can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/edward-de-bono-2489_attention_it-has-always-surprised-me-how-little-at_234677.png" --- # It has always surprised me how little attention… ![“It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason. Reason can only sort out perceptions, but the humor process is involved in changing them.” quote by Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/edward-de-bono-2489_attention_it-has-always-surprised-me-how-little-at_234677.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/edward-de-bono-2489_attention_it-has-always-surprised-me-how-little-at_234677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/edward-de-bono-2489_attention_it-has-always-surprised-me-how-little-at_234677.png) > “It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason. Reason can only sort out perceptions, but the humor process is involved in changing them.” [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor reshapes perception more profoundly than pure reason, yet philosophers overlook its cognitive power. **In simple terms:** Humor changes how we see things, more than logic. Key Takeaway Value humor as a thinking tool. Themes creativity perception cognition Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - writing - teaching - problem solving - public speaking Key Concepts humor cognitive psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can humor enhance critical thinking? - When does humor hinder serious discourse? A Different Perspective Humor can be misinterpreted or seen as frivolous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humor Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor-process-1336181/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-reason-399413/) [Perceptions Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceptions-humor-2367288/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) ## Related quotes > [Humor (is) the process that allows one to brush reality aside when it gets too distressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/humor-is-the-process-that-allows-one-to-brush-reality-aside-when-it/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [We find our happiness to the extent to which we use our minds to bless the world, for that is the natural use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-find-our-happiness-to-the-extent-to-which-we-use-our-minds-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [When the Mind is empty, life is also empty. A blank mind is the reason for a blank life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-mind-is-empty-life-is-also-empty-a-blank-mind-is-the-reason/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When an idea comes into my mind from someone, I reason with it. I do not just swallow it hook, line and sinker. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itayi-garande/when-an-idea-comes-into-my-mind-from-someone-i-reason-with-it-i-do/) [Itayi Garande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itayi-garande/) > [Law is mind without reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/law-is-mind-without-reason/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Had I been blessed with even limited access to my own mind there would have been no reason to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/had-i-been-blessed-with-even-limited-access-to-my-own-mind-there/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Faith is a permanent and vital endowment of the human mind-a part of reason itself. The insane alone are without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-phillpotts/faith-is-a-permanent-and-vital-endowment-of-the-human-mind-a-part-of/) [Eden Phillpotts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-phillpotts/) > [Never be afraid to speak your mind, you have one for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/never-be-afraid-to-speak-your-mind-you-have-one-for-a-reason/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [To my mind, there is a reason that music is there and it's about being human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-deal/to-my-mind-there-is-a-reason-that-music-is-there-and-it-s-about-being/) [Kim Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-deal/) > [I've always spoken my mind. There's no reason not to!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-garcia/i-ve-always-spoken-my-mind-there-s-no-reason-not-to/) [Nina Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-garcia/) > [Age is just a number, not a state of mind or a reason for any type of particular behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/age-is-just-a-number-not-a-state-of-mind-or-a-reason-for-any-type-of/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [That which enters the mind through reason can be corrected. That which is admitted through faith, hardly ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/that-which-enters-the-mind-through-reason-can-be-corrected-that-which/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [Ive got no reason to sleep if you're not my dream, no reason to think if you're not in my mind, no reason to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoheb/ive-got-no-reason-to-sleep-if-you-re-not-my-dream-no-reason-to-think/) [Zoheb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoheb/) > [Humour is by far the most significant activity of the human brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/humour-is-by-far-the-most-significant-activity-of-the-human-brain/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More by Edward de Bono > [We still seek to solve conflicts with 'judgement' instead of designing the way forwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/we-still-seek-to-solve-conflicts-with-judgement-instead-of-designing/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Traditional thinking is all about "what is" Future thinking will also need to be about what can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/traditional-thinking-is-all-about-what-is-future-thinking-will-also/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“In 80% of Socrates' dialogues there was no constructive outcome. He saw his role as simply pointing out what was "wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-80-of-socrates-dialogues-there-was-no-constructive-outcome-he-saw/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The music that really turns me on is either running toward God or away from God. Both recognize the pivot, that God is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-music-that-really-turns-me-on-is-either-running-toward-god-or/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [People should realize we're jerks just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/people-should-realize-we-re-jerks-just-like-them/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The effective thinker treats arrogance as the major sin of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-effective-thinker-treats-arrogance-as-the-major-sin-of-thinking/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [To be successful you have to be lucky, or a little mad, or very talented, or find yourself in a rapid growth field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/to-be-successful-you-have-to-be-lucky-or-a-little-mad-or-very/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/argument-is-meant-to-reveal-the-truth-not-to-create-it/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Complexity creates confusion, simplicity focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/complexity-creates-confusion-simplicity-focus/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The weapons of the positive revolution are not bullets and bombs but simple human perceptions. Bullets and bombs may offer physical power but eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-weapons-of-the-positive-revolution-are-not-bullets-and-bombs-but/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“In real-life situations apparently logical lines of argument are often (not always) based on an inability to see alternative possibilities. In a similar way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-real-life-situations-apparently-logical-lines-of-argument-are/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/an-expert-is-someone-who-has-succeeded-in-making-decisions-and/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [It wouldn't cost too much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/it-wouldn-t-cost-too-much-to-change-the-rules-of-trade-so-that-poor/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The need to be right all the time is the biggest bar to new ideas. It is better to have enough ideas for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-need-to-be-right-all-the-time-is-the-biggest-bar-to-new-ideas-it/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Companies that solely focus on competition will ultimately die. Those that focus on value creation will thrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/companies-that-solely-focus-on-competition-will-ultimately-die-those/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) [Explore all 161 Edward de Bono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason. 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