--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What could an entirely rational being…" description: "\"What could an entirely rational being speak of with another entirely rational being?\" — Emmanuel Levinas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg" --- # What could an entirely rational being speak of with… ![“What could an entirely rational being speak of with another entirely rational being?” quote by Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg) > “What could an entirely rational being speak of with another entirely rational being?” [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It asks whether pure rationality can convey meaning without emotion or shared lived experience. **In simple terms:** Can rational beings truly understand each other? Key Takeaway Recognize limits of pure logic in communication. Themes philosophy communication humanity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - academic debate - ethical discussions - cross‑cultural negotiations Key Concepts rationality interpersonal understanding existential limits Questions to Reflect On - How do emotions shape meaning? - Can logic alone resolve conflict? A Different Perspective Rational dialogue may miss emotional nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entirely/) [Entirely Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entirely-rational-5434568/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-speak-5434569/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-entirely-5434570/) ## Related quotes > [Capitalism has created a situation called scarcity. And that scarcity is not natural, it's socially induced. Along with that sense of scarcity, or feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/capitalism-has-created-a-situation-called-scarcity-and-that-scarcity/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [If you devote yourself entirely to a pursuit, there is no way you cannot find beauty and fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gillies/if-you-devote-yourself-entirely-to-a-pursuit-there-is-no-way-you/) [Daniel Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gillies/) > [As long as I can remember, I've always had pets. Something about the connection you share with this entirely different species just blows my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-scott/as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-ve-always-had-pets-something-about-the/) [Reid Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-scott/) > [I studied psychology for a couple of years as a personal hobby, so you start learning about people and listening to your intuition, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/i-studied-psychology-for-a-couple-of-years-as-a-personal-hobby-so-you/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) > [It was improv that really helped me start coming up with recipes and just believe in my instincts. That's why the first recipe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-sequeira/it-was-improv-that-really-helped-me-start-coming-up-with-recipes-and/) [Aarti Sequeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-sequeira/) > [My father thought, and now I think too, that the system of democracy is entirely based upon the system of justice. If we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/my-father-thought-and-now-i-think-too-that-the-system-of-democracy-is/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [The victory will be only entirely and finally achieved when the whole world is free of Jews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-streicher/the-victory-will-be-only-entirely-and-finally-achieved-when-the-whole/) [Julius Streicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-streicher/) > [I don't think there's any show comparable to 'Game of Thrones' in terms of the way it does the fantasy element to such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-show-comparable-to-game-of-thrones-in-terms/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [Being a dad is the best thing that ever happened to me. It changed my life entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/being-a-dad-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-it-changed-my/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [Never put off till tomorrow what you can avoid doing entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-put-off-till-tomorrow-what-you-can-avoid-doing-entirely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are some people, who place enormous value on their home and feel that it defines them, that a stain on the carpet is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/there-are-some-people-who-place-enormous-value-on-their-home-and-feel/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I would not be surprised to see Syria break apart entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-g-stavridis/i-would-not-be-surprised-to-see-syria-break-apart-entirely/) [James G. Stavridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-g-stavridis/) > [Most happy is he, who is entirely self-reliant, and who centres all his requirements in himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/most-happy-is-he-who-is-entirely-self-reliant-and-who-centres-all-his/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [Learning in our family was entirely self-directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/learning-in-our-family-was-entirely-self-directed/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) ## More by Emmanuel Levinas > [A miracle entails a degree of irrationality-not because it shocks reason, but because it makes no appeal to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/a-miracle-entails-a-degree-of-irrationality-not-because-it-shocks/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [Memory as an inversion of historical time is the essence of interiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/memory-as-an-inversion-of-historical-time-is-the-essence-of/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [I will say this quite plainly, what truly human is -and don't be afraid of this word- love. And I mean it even with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/i-will-say-this-quite-plainly-what-truly-human-is-and-don-t-be-afraid/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“A fine risk is always something to be taken in philosophy. ... Philosophy thus arouses a drama between philosophers and an intersubjective movement which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/a-fine-risk-is-always-something-to-be-taken-in-philosophy-philosophy/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“This world, in which reason is more and more at home, is not habitable. It is hard and cold like those depots in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/this-world-in-which-reason-is-more-and-more-at-home-is-not-habitable/) [Emmanuel Lévinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [Of course we do not live in order to eat, but it is not really true to say that we eat in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/of-course-we-do-not-live-in-order-to-eat-but-it-is-not-really-true-to/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“The true life is absent.' But we are in the world. Metaphysics arises and is maintained in this alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/the-true-life-is-absent-but-we-are-in-the-world-metaphysics-arises/) [Emmanuel Lévinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [Love remains a relation with the Other that turns into need, transcendent exteriority of the other, of the beloved. But love goes beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/love-remains-a-relation-with-the-other-that-turns-into-need/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“La relación con lo Otro me pone en cuestión, me vacía de mí mismo y no deja de vaciarme, descubriéndome en tal modo con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/la-relaci-n-con-lo-otro-me-pone-en-cuesti-n-me-vac-a-de-m-mismo-y-no/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [For others, in spite of myself, from myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/for-others-in-spite-of-myself-from-myself/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“To approach the Other in conversation is to welcome his expression, in which at each instant he overflows the idea a thought would carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/to-approach-the-other-in-conversation-is-to-welcome-his-expression-in/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“the "small goodness" from one person to his fellowman is lost and deformed as soon as it seeks organization and universality and system, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/the-small-goodness-from-one-person-to-his-fellowman-is-lost-and/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [The very relationship with the other is the relationship with the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/the-very-relationship-with-the-other-is-the-relationship-with-the/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [If one could possess, grasp, and know the other, it would not be other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/if-one-could-possess-grasp-and-know-the-other-it-would-not-be-other/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [Politics is opposed to morality, as philosophy to naïveté.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/politics-is-opposed-to-morality-as-philosophy-to-na-vet/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) [Explore all 17 Emmanuel Levinas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) ## More Entirely quotes > [If you devote yourself entirely to a pursuit, there is no way you cannot find beauty and fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gillies/if-you-devote-yourself-entirely-to-a-pursuit-there-is-no-way-you/) [Daniel Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gillies/) > [Most happy is he, who is entirely self-reliant, and who centres all his requirements in himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/most-happy-is-he-who-is-entirely-self-reliant-and-who-centres-all-his/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [I would not be surprised to see Syria break apart entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-g-stavridis/i-would-not-be-surprised-to-see-syria-break-apart-entirely/) [James G. Stavridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-g-stavridis/) > [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [There are some people, who place enormous value on their home and feel that it defines them, that a stain on the carpet is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/there-are-some-people-who-place-enormous-value-on-their-home-and-feel/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [Never put off till tomorrow what you can avoid doing entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-put-off-till-tomorrow-what-you-can-avoid-doing-entirely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being a dad is the best thing that ever happened to me. It changed my life entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/being-a-dad-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-it-changed-my/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [I don't think there's any show comparable to 'Game of Thrones' in terms of the way it does the fantasy element to such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-show-comparable-to-game-of-thrones-in-terms/) [Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/) > [The victory will be only entirely and finally achieved when the whole world is free of Jews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-streicher/the-victory-will-be-only-entirely-and-finally-achieved-when-the-whole/) [Julius Streicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-streicher/) > [My father thought, and now I think too, that the system of democracy is entirely based upon the system of justice. If we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/my-father-thought-and-now-i-think-too-that-the-system-of-democracy-is/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [It was improv that really helped me start coming up with recipes and just believe in my instincts. That's why the first recipe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-sequeira/it-was-improv-that-really-helped-me-start-coming-up-with-recipes-and/) [Aarti Sequeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-sequeira/) > [I studied psychology for a couple of years as a personal hobby, so you start learning about people and listening to your intuition, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/i-studied-psychology-for-a-couple-of-years-as-a-personal-hobby-so-you/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) > [As long as I can remember, I've always had pets. Something about the connection you share with this entirely different species just blows my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-scott/as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-ve-always-had-pets-something-about-the/) [Reid Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-scott/) > [Learning in our family was entirely self-directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/learning-in-our-family-was-entirely-self-directed/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-in-dreams-we-enter-a-world-that-is-entirely-our-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 342 Entirely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entirely/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What could an entirely rational being speak of with another entirely rational being?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emmanuel Levinas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-speak-of-with-another-entirely/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Entirely" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-speak-of-with-another-entirely/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/emmanuel-levinas-26126_entirely_what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-sp_2300088.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What could an entirely rational being speak of with another entirely rational being?” — Emmanuel Levinas", "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": "Emmanuel Levinas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What could an entirely rational being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-speak-of-with-another-entirely/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/what-could-an-entirely-rational-being-speak-of-with-another-entirely/#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 } } ] } ```