Autopsy Quote by H. L. Mencken
“Shave a gorilla and it would be almost impossible, at twenty paces, to distinguish him from a heavyweight champion of the world. Skin a chimpanzee, and it would take an autopsy to prove he was not a theologian.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The American Language, 1908
Physical similarity can mask profound differences, making superficial judgments unreliable.
In simple terms: Looks can be deceiving.
Key Takeaway
Question appearances before judging.
Themes
appearance
identity
judgment
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- animal studies
- law enforcement
- social interactions
Key Concepts
biology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we avoid misidentifying based on looks?
- What deeper checks are needed?
A Different Perspective
Superficial similarity may hide dangerous traits.
![“Yet man does recognise himself [as an animal]. But I ask you and the whole world for a generic differentia between man and ape which conforms to the principles of natural history, I certainly know of none... If I were to call man ape or vice versa, I should bring down all the theologians on my…” quote by Carl Linnaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/53a/carl-linnaeus-18673_animal_yet-man-does-recognise-himself-as-an-ani_1012426.jpg)
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
