--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though we have lost yardsticks by…" description: "\"Even though we have lost yardsticks by which to measure, and rules under which to subsume the particular, a being whose essence is a beginning may have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/hannah-arendt-610_categories_even-though-we-have-lost-yardsticks-by-w_2988655.jpg" --- # Even though we have lost yardsticks by which to measure… ![“Even though we have lost yardsticks by which to measure, and rules under which to subsume the particular, a being whose essence is a beginning may have enough of origin within himself to understand without preconceived categories and to judge without the set of customary rules which is morality.” quote by Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/hannah-arendt-610_categories_even-though-we-have-lost-yardsticks-by-w_2988655.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/hannah-arendt-610_categories_even-though-we-have-lost-yardsticks-by-w_2988655.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/hannah-arendt-610_categories_even-though-we-have-lost-yardsticks-by-w_2988655.jpg) > “Even though we have lost yardsticks by which to measure, and rules under which to subsume the particular, a being whose essence is a beginning may have enough of origin within himself to understand without preconceived categories and to judge without the set of customary rules which is morality.” [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even without external standards, a being can intuitively understand origins and judge morality without preset rules. **In simple terms:** Intuition can guide moral judgment without rules. Key Takeaway Trust inner sense of right and wrong. Themes morality intuition origin Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - personal decision making - creative work - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy ethics self‑knowledge Questions to Reflect On - Can morality exist without universal rules? - How do we validate intuitive judgments? A Different Perspective Lack of standards can lead to relativism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) ## Related quotes > [Life is two things. Life is morality – life is adventure. Squire and master. Adventure rules, and morality looks up the trains in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-two-things-life-is-morality-life-is-adventure-squire-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The rules of morality are not the conclusion of our reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-rules-of-morality-are-not-the-conclusion-of-our-reason/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“There is no morality to be found in evil. But to recognise that which is truly evil one must forget the rules of morality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kemp/there-is-no-morality-to-be-found-in-evil-but-to-recognise-that-which/) [Daniel Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kemp/) > [Every man, in his own opinion, forms an exception to the ordinary rules of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/every-man-in-his-own-opinion-forms-an-exception-to-the-ordinary-rules/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Every man should follow the bent of his nature in art and letters, always provided that he does not offend against the rules of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-should-follow-the-bent-of-his-nature-in-art-and-letters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Any legitimate religion consists of rules of morality linked by love. That's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-wayne-white/any-legitimate-religion-consists-of-rules-of-morality-linked-by-love/) [Randy Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-wayne-white/) > [The alcoholic and the drug addict harm only themselves by their behavior; the person who violates the rules of morality governing mans life in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-alcoholic-and-the-drug-addict-harm-only-themselves-by-their/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Morals excite passions, and produce or prevent actions. Reason of itself is utterly impotent in this particular. The rules of morality, therefore, are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/morals-excite-passions-and-produce-or-prevent-actions-reason-of/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [In the business arena, the standard rules of morality don't apply. What we're really looking for is efficiency. It doesn't do anyone any good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/in-the-business-arena-the-standard-rules-of-morality-don-t-apply-what/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Money is not a part of the visible sector of the economy; people do not consume money. Money is not a physical factor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/money-is-not-a-part-of-the-visible-sector-of-the-economy-people-do/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/the-only-yardstick-for-success-our-society-has-is-being-a-champion-no/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [The freedom of speech is an important yardstick for a society's level of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/the-freedom-of-speech-is-an-important-yardstick-for-a-society-s-level/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [The great majority of men use their own short-sighted ideas as a yardstick for measuring the divine omnipotence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/the-great-majority-of-men-use-their-own-short-sighted-ideas-as-a/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [There's always the tendency to transform the Church into an ethical agency, and of measuring the Church by the yardstick of social and cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehmann/there-s-always-the-tendency-to-transform-the-church-into-an-ethical/) [Karl Lehmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehmann/) > [If you are poor, shun association with him who measures men with the yardstick of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/if-you-are-poor-shun-association-with-him-who-measures-men-with-the/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) ## More by Hannah Arendt > [“It means, first, that everything that appears in public can be seen and heard by everybody and has the widest possible publicity. For us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/it-means-first-that-everything-that-appears-in-public-can-be-seen-and/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Without being forgiven, released from the consequences of what we have done, our capacity to act would, as it were, be confined to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/without-being-forgiven-released-from-the-consequences-of-what-we-have/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is a more violent world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-practice-of-violence-like-all-action-changes-the-world-but-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Nationalism always preserved this initial intimate loyalty to the government and never quite lost its function of preserving a precarious balance between nation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/nationalism-always-preserved-this-initial-intimate-loyalty-to-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“What imperialists actually wanted was expansion of political power without the foundation of the body politic. Imperialist expansion had been touched off by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-imperialists-actually-wanted-was-expansion-of-political-power/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [the greater the bureaucratization of public life, the greater will be the attraction of violence. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [I've worked with jazz artists, country artists, classical artists, pop artists. I never wanted there to be categories, because when I was a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-ve-worked-with-jazz-artists-country-artists-classical-artists-pop/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [ I don't think in national categories. For me it \[policy\] is about concepts and substance. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-don-t-think-in-national-categories-for-me-it-policy-is-about/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [We don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions. It's much simpler than that. Two categories .. good feelings, bad feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/we-don-t-need-to-complicate-all-the-reasons-behind-our-emotions-it-s/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [I put the truth out there, I put the historical facts into Hip Hop to show us how much history repeats itself and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/i-put-the-truth-out-there-i-put-the-historical-facts-into-hip-hop-to/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [I am devoting my lecture in this seminar to a discussion of the possibility that we are now entering a Jewish century, a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-a-siegel/i-am-devoting-my-lecture-in-this-seminar-to-a-discussion-of-the/) Martin A. Siegel > [A top World War II ace once said that fighter pilots fall into two broad categories: those who go out to kill and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-top-world-war-ii-ace-once-said-that-fighter-pilots-fall-into-two/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No, I don't like legend. I mean, I don't like the category. And to begin with, to me, a legend is something that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/no-i-don-t-like-legend-i-mean-i-don-t-like-the-category-and-to-begin/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [ I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [... the notions category and functor were not formulated or put in print until the idea of a natural transformation was also at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saunders-mac-lane/the-notions-category-and-functor-were-not-formulated-or-put-in-print/) Saunders Mac Lane > [Last guy I was interested in turned out to be an incestuous necrophiliac," she said. 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