--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it requires no very profound…" description: "\"“But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to perceive that military superiority often exists distinct from social civilization, that liter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg" --- # But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to… ![“But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to perceive that military superiority often exists distinct from social civilization, that literary cultivation affords no guarantee for national wisdom and honor, and that theological learning is no proof of individual virtue.” quote by George Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg) > ““But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to perceive that military superiority often exists distinct from social civilization, that literary cultivation affords no guarantee for national wisdom and honor, and that theological learning is no proof of individual virtue.”” George Finlay ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Military power can exist without cultural or moral development; education alone doesn't ensure national virtue. **In simple terms:** Power and culture can be separate; learning doesn't guarantee virtue. Key Takeaway Recognize that strength and wisdom need distinct foundations. Themes history military culture education virtue Mood critical thoughtful analytical Type History:1 Wisdom:1 Military Superiority:1 Social Civilization:1 Requires Profound:0 National Wisdom:1 Literary Cultivation:0 When to use this quote - national policy - educational reform - military strategy - public discourse Key Concepts civilizational analysis military doctrine ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do societies balance military strength with moral development? - What role does education play in shaping national virtue? A Different Perspective Education alone may not produce ethical leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“Humans are naturally social; civilization causes us to be antisocial." From my next book: The Five Forgotten Truths”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-d-sinclair/humans-are-naturally-social-civilization-causes-us-to-be-antisocial/) Kirk D. Sinclair > [Nobody should have any illusion about the possibility of gaining military superiority over Russia. We will never allow this to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/nobody-should-have-any-illusion-about-the-possibility-of-gaining/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The military superiority of Europe to Asia is not an eternal law of nature, as we are tempted to think, and our superiority in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-military-superiority-of-europe-to-asia-is-not-an-eternal-law-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Disarmament should be conducive to the enhancement of every country's general security instead of becoming the instrument and means for a few countries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sha-zukang/disarmament-should-be-conducive-to-the-enhancement-of-every-country-s/) Sha Zukang > [I think the parallels of a giant power with overwhelming military superiority and might, with America and Rome, it seems obvious to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/i-think-the-parallels-of-a-giant-power-with-overwhelming-military/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [The lesson of all history warns us that we should negotiate only when our military superiority is so convincing that we can achieve our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-lesson-of-all-history-warns-us-that-we-should-negotiate-only-when/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“Your mind has the intellect to lift the world, your heart has the wisdom to better the world, and your soul has the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-mind-has-the-intellect-to-lift-the-world-your-heart-has-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by George Finlay > [“Many of the bishops had purchased their sees, and most of these naturally preferred doing violence to their opinions rather than lose their revenues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-finlay/many-of-the-bishops-had-purchased-their-sees-and-most-of-these/) George Finlay Explore all 2 George Finlay quotes ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to perceive that military superiority often exists distinct from social civilization, that literary cultivation affords no guarantee for national wisdom and honor, and that theological learning is no proof of individual virtue.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Finlay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-finlay/but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowledge-of-history-to-perceive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "History" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-finlay/but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowledge-of-history-to-perceive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/george-finlay-111919_history_but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowled_3119600.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But it requires no very profound knowledge of history to perceive that military superiority often exists…” — George Finlay", "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": "George Finlay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-finlay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But it requires no very profound...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-finlay/but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowledge-of-history-to-perceive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-finlay/but-it-requires-no-very-profound-knowledge-of-history-to-perceive/#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 } } ] } ```