--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there be an order in which the human…" description: "\"If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an aptitude to acquire these ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/herbert-spencer-1765_acquire_if-there-be-an-order-in-which-the-human_2888445.jpg" --- # If there be an order in which the human race has mastered… ![“If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an aptitude to acquire these kinds of knowledge in the same order. So that even were the order intrinsically indifferent, it would facilitate education to lead the individual…” quote by Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/herbert-spencer-1765_acquire_if-there-be-an-order-in-which-the-human_2888445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/herbert-spencer-1765_acquire_if-there-be-an-order-in-which-the-human_2888445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/herbert-spencer-1765_acquire_if-there-be-an-order-in-which-the-human_2888445.jpg) > “If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an aptitude to acquire these kinds of knowledge in the same order. So that even were the order intrinsically indifferent, it would facilitate education to lead the individual mind through the steps traversed by the general mind. But the order is not intrinsically indifferent; and hence the fundamental reason why education should be a repetition of civilization in little.” [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that education should follow the natural order of knowledge acquisition, mirroring civilization’s developmental stages, because this order is not neutral but essential. **In simple terms:** Education should follow civilization’s knowledge order. Key Takeaway Align teaching with developmental stages. Themes education development civilization Mood analytical critical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - school curricula - pedagogical theory Key Concepts cognitive development historical progression Questions to Reflect On - Is there a universal knowledge sequence? - How to adapt curricula for diverse societies? A Different Perspective Assuming a single universal order may ignore cultural differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Aptitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aptitude/) [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education Repetition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-repetition-4043454/) [Facilitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facilitate/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Indifferent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifferent/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-mind-640371/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-order-919204/) [Little knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-knowledge/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-order-662801/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Repetition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetition/) [Repetition Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetition-civilization-4043455/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) ## Related quotes > [When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [What, after all, is heaven, but a transition from dim guesses and blind struggling with a mysterious and adverse fate to the fullness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/what-after-all-is-heaven-but-a-transition-from-dim-guesses-and-blind/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“To impart knowledge onto someone else, you have to have the wisdom and knowledge yourself in order to do so !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostle-paul/to-impart-knowledge-onto-someone-else-you-have-to-have-the-wisdom-and/) [Apostle Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostle-paul/) > [Complexity excites the mind, and order rewards it. In the garden, one finds both, including vanishingly small orders too complex to spot, and orders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/complexity-excites-the-mind-and-order-rewards-it-in-the-garden-one/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Do not offer the child the content of the mind, but the order for that content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/do-not-offer-the-child-the-content-of-the-mind-but-the-order-for-that/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Let us record the atoms as they fall upon the mind in the order in which they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/let-us-record-the-atoms-as-they-fall-upon-the-mind-in-the-order-in-2/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [You can put your mind in order by focusing on one thing at a time, doing it well, and appreciating the opportunity that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-put-your-mind-in-order-by-focusing-on-one-thing-at-a-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we have our body and mind in order, everything else will exist in the right place, in the right way. But usually, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/when-we-have-our-body-and-mind-in-order-everything-else-will-exist-in-2/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“When we have our body and mind in order, everything else will exist in the right place, in the right way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/when-we-have-our-body-and-mind-in-order-everything-else-will-exist-in/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [When we try to imagine a chaos we fail. ... In its very fiber the mind is an order and refuses to build a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-iles/when-we-try-to-imagine-a-chaos-we-fail-in-its-very-fiber-the-mind-is/) [George Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-iles/) > [First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/first-there-must-be-order-and-harmony-within-your-own-mind-then-this/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Mathematics should be studied if only for that it puts the mind in order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lomonosov/mathematics-should-be-studied-if-only-for-that-it-puts-the-mind-in/) [Mikhail Lomonosov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lomonosov/) > [Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/reality-exists-in-the-human-mind-and-nowhere-else-not-in-the/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of a man. Nothing was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/our-species-is-the-only-creative-species-and-it-has-only-one-creative/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Religion is an individual experience of a universal mind and universal experience of an individual mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajmal-siddiqi/religion-is-an-individual-experience-of-a-universal-mind-and/) [Ajmal Siddiqi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajmal-siddiqi/) ## More by Herbert Spencer > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Any piece of knowledge which the pupil has himself acquired- any problem which he has himself solved, becomes, by virtue of the conquest, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/any-piece-of-knowledge-which-the-pupil-has-himself-acquired-any/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Conservatism defends those coercive arrangements which a still-lingering savageness makes requisite. Radicalism endeavours to realize a state more in harmony with the character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/conservatism-defends-those-coercive-arrangements-which-a-still/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Absolute morality is the regulation of conduct in such a way that pain shall not be inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/absolute-morality-is-the-regulation-of-conduct-in-such-a-way-that/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [The cruelty of a Fijian god, who, represented as devouring the souls of the dead, may be supposed to inflict torture during the process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-cruelty-of-a-fijian-god-who-represented-as-devouring-the-souls-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [The liberty the citizen enjoys is to be measured not by governmental machinery he lives under, whether representative or other, but by the paucity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-liberty-the-citizen-enjoys-is-to-be-measured-not-by-governmental/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I had a great dislike to the annoyances entailed by baggage; and it was always with some feeling of elation that I cut myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/i-had-a-great-dislike-to-the-annoyances-entailed-by-baggage-and-it/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Progress, therefore, is not an accident, but a necessity…It is a part of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/progress-therefore-is-not-an-accident-but-a-necessity-it-is-a-part-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Surely in much talk there cannot choose but be much vanity. Loquacity is the fistula of the mind,--ever-running and almost incurable, let every man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/surely-in-much-talk-there-cannot-choose-but-be-much-vanity-loquacity/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-one-can-be-perfectly-free-till-all-are-free-no-one-can-be/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Only when Genius is married to Science can the highest results be produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/only-when-genius-is-married-to-science-can-the-highest-results-be/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [It cannot but happen?that those will survive whose functions happen to be most nearly in equilibrium with the modified aggregate of external forces? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/it-cannot-but-happen-that-those-will-survive-whose-functions-happen/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“Before he can remake his society, his society must make him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/before-he-can-remake-his-society-his-society-must-make-him/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) [Explore all 210 Herbert Spencer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) [Peter Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-martins/) > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) [Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an aptitude to acquire these kinds of knowledge in the same order. So that even were the order intrinsically indifferent, it would facilitate education to lead the individual mind through the steps traversed by the general mind. 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