--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world's greatest thinkers have often…" description: "\"The world's greatest thinkers have often been amateurs; for high thinking is the outcome of fine and independent living, and for that a professional ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c5/havelock-ellis-3921_chairs_the-world-s-greatest-thinkers-have-often_1074142.png" --- # The world's greatest thinkers have often been amateurs… ![“The world's greatest thinkers have often been amateurs; for high thinking is the outcome of fine and independent living, and for that a professional chair offers no special opportunities.” quote by Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c5/havelock-ellis-3921_chairs_the-world-s-greatest-thinkers-have-often_1074142.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c5/havelock-ellis-3921_chairs_the-world-s-greatest-thinkers-have-often_1074142.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c5/havelock-ellis-3921_chairs_the-world-s-greatest-thinkers-have-often_1074142.png) > “The world's greatest thinkers have often been amateurs; for high thinking is the outcome of fine and independent living, and for that a professional chair offers no special opportunities.” [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great thinkers often thrive as amateurs because independent living nurtures original thought, while professional roles may limit creativity. **In simple terms:** Amateurs can think freely; professions may restrict. Key Takeaway Cultivate independence, value diverse experiences. Themes creativity independence thinking Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - academic research - personal development - artistic creation - entrepreneurship Key Concepts philosophy psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does independence foster originality? - Can professionals still think independently? A Different Perspective Professional constraints can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chairs/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Greatest Thinkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-thinkers-966770/) [High Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-thinking-881966/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Outcomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outcomes/) [Professional Chair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-chair-2690826/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Thinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinker/) [Thinkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinkers/) [Thinkers Amateurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinkers-amateurs-2690823/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The world glows all the time. 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Great works inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/virtually-every-subject-is-most-effectively-learned-directly-from-the/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [“Plain living and high thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/plain-living-and-high-thinking/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Luxury Living Low Thinking Simple Living High Thinking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/luxury-living-low-thinking-simple-living-high-thinking/) [Baba Tunde Ojo-Olubiyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/) > [Plain living and high thinking are no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/plain-living-and-high-thinking-are-no-more/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [High thinking is inconsistent with a complicated material life based on high speed and imposed on us by mammon worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/high-thinking-is-inconsistent-with-a-complicated-material-life-based/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Simple living & High thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad/simple-living-high-thinking/) [AD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad/) > [“The greatest thinkers of Greece — Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, and later Plutarch and Plotinus — derived their ideas from ancient tradition, and further on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-greatest-thinkers-of-greece-pythagoras-plato-aristotle-and-later/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“ Robert Ingersoll 's character was as nearly perfect as it is possible for the character of mortal man to be... none sweeter or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spalding-thomas/robert-ingersoll-s-character-was-as-nearly-perfect-as-it-is-possible/) [Charles Spalding Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spalding-thomas/) > [“English is the language through which I reach hearts from various corners of the world. 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Can we say more of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/dreams-are-real-as-long-as-they-last-can-we-say-more-of-life/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [The immense value of becoming acquainted with a foreign language is that we are thereby led into a new world of tradition and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-immense-value-of-becoming-acquainted-with-a-foreign-language-is/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [Greek is the embodiment of the fluent speech that runs or soars, the speech of a people which could not help giving winged feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/greek-is-the-embodiment-of-the-fluent-speech-that-runs-or-soars-the/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [Those persons who are burning to display heroism may rest assured that the course of social evolution will offer them every opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/those-persons-who-are-burning-to-display-heroism-may-rest-assured/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [All arguments are meaningless until we gain personal experience. 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The art of dancing stands at the source of all the arts that expressthemselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/dancing-and-building-are-the-two-primary-and-essential-arts-the-art/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [Failing to find in women exactly the same kind of sexual emotions, as they find in themselves, men have concluded that there are none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/failing-to-find-in-women-exactly-the-same-kind-of-sexual-emotions-as/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [The husband - by primitive instinct partly, certainly by ancient tradition - regards himself as the active partner in matters of love and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-husband-by-primitive-instinct-partly-certainly-by-ancient/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [“All civilisation has from time to time become a thin crust over a volcano of revolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/all-civilisation-has-from-time-to-time-become-a-thin-crust-over-a/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [For every fresh stage in our lives we need a fresh education, and there is no stage for which so little educational preparation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/for-every-fresh-stage-in-our-lives-we-need-a-fresh-education-and/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [The sexual regions constitute a particularly vulnerable spot, and remain so even in man, and the need for their protection which thus exists conflicts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-sexual-regions-constitute-a-particularly-vulnerable-spot-and/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [Sexual pleasure, wisely used and not abused, may prove the stimulus and liberator of our finest and most exalted activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/sexual-pleasure-wisely-used-and-not-abused-may-prove-the-stimulus-and/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) [Explore all 119 Havelock Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) ## More Chairs quotes > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Forget the noose. 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Good sleep they sought for themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-know-i-well-what-people-sought-formerly-above-all-else-when-they/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Keelhaul the poets in the vestry chairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-shapiro/keelhaul-the-poets-in-the-vestry-chairs/) [Karl Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-shapiro/) > [He's earned all his money himself, with his fists. He didn't steal it like the rest of our politicians. And he'll be less tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/he-s-earned-all-his-money-himself-with-his-fists-he-didn-t-steal-it/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp metal object. 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