--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...it is the peculiar and perpetual error…" description: "\"“...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human intellect to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives; whereas it ought prop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg" --- # ...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human… ![“...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human intellect to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives; whereas it ought properly to hold itself indifferently disposed towards both alike.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg) > ““...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human intellect to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives; whereas it ought properly to hold itself indifferently disposed towards both alike.”” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human minds tend to react more strongly to positive statements than to negative ones, though rationally they should treat both equally. **In simple terms:** People react more to positives than negatives. Key Takeaway Balance attention to both positive and negative information. Themes cognition bias critical thinking Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - decision making - media consumption - personal relationships - risk assessment Key Concepts confirmation bias negativity bias rationality Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure you consider negative information equally? - What strategies help you avoid overvaluing affirmatives? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on positives can blind us to important warnings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirmatives Negatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmatives-negatives-3817336/) [Human Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-intellect/) [Intellect Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect-moved-3817335/) [Negatives Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negatives-ought-3817333/) [Ought Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-properly-3817334/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) ## Related quotes > [“It is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human understanding to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-of-the-human-understanding-to/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [But we are not dedicating or building any Capitol or Pyramid to human Pride, but found a holy temple in the human Intellect, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/but-we-are-not-dedicating-or-building-any-capitol-or-pyramid-to-human/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The awful consciousness that one is the sole object of attention to that immense space, lined as it were with human intellect from top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-siddons/the-awful-consciousness-that-one-is-the-sole-object-of-attention-to/) [Sarah Siddons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-siddons/) > [Say what men may, it is doctrine that moves the world. He who takes no position will not sway the human intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/say-what-men-may-it-is-doctrine-that-moves-the-world-he-who-takes-no/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [If the human intellect functions, it is actually in order to solve the problems which the man's inner destiny sets it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/if-the-human-intellect-functions-it-is-actually-in-order-to-solve-the/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [Human intellect is natures attempt at self criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-iqbal/human-intellect-is-natures-attempt-at-self-criticism/) [Muhammad Iqbal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-iqbal/) > [Love with delight discourses in my mindUpon my lady's admirable gifts...Beyond the range of human intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/love-with-delight-discourses-in-my-mindupon-my-lady-s-admirable-gifts/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Faith in Qur'anic revelation unveils all the possibilities that lie before the human intellect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osman-bakar/faith-in-qur-anic-revelation-unveils-all-the-possibilities-that-lie/) [Osman Bakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osman-bakar/) > [General ideas are no proof of the strength, but rather of the insufficiency of the human intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/general-ideas-are-no-proof-of-the-strength-but-rather-of-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Skepticism rather than credulity is the highest principle that the human intellect can use to ennoble our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/skepticism-rather-than-credulity-is-the-highest-principle-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [If a man will comprehend the richness and variety of the universe, and inspire his mind with a due measure of wonder and awe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/if-a-man-will-comprehend-the-richness-and-variety-of-the-universe-and/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [Angels are able to know and understand better than the human intellect can, precisely because such knowledge and understanding comes to them by way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/angels-are-able-to-know-and-understand-better-than-the-human/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [Does the human intellect, or "reason," really spring us free from our inherence in the depths of this wild proliferation of forms? Or on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/does-the-human-intellect-or-reason-really-spring-us-free-from-our/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Sin’s voice is the inward speech of human intellect that desires to explore regions beyond the structures of reality set in place by God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-michael-garner/sin-s-voice-is-the-inward-speech-of-human-intellect-that-desires-to/) [Phillip Michael Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-michael-garner/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 7,585 Positive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human intellect to be more moved and excited by affirmatives than by negatives; whereas it ought properly to hold itself indifferently disposed towards both alike.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-of-the-human-intellect-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Positive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-of-the-human-intellect-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/francis-bacon-297_positive_it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-o_2043702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...it is the peculiar and perpetual error of the human intellect to be more moved and excited by…” — Francis Bacon", "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": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“...it is the peculiar and perpetual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-of-the-human-intellect-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-the-peculiar-and-perpetual-error-of-the-human-intellect-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```