--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man's knowledge is not in order…" description: "\"When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.\" — Herbert Spencer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg" --- # When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he… ![“When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.” quote by Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg) > “When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.” [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. Disorganized knowledge creates mental clutter; accumulating facts without structure leads to greater confusion. **In simple terms:** Unordered knowledge breeds confusion. Key Takeaway Structure is essential for clarity. Themes knowledge organization cognition learning Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - studying without outlines - research without a hypothesis - overloading a presentation Key Concepts information hierarchy mental models Practical Applications - Create outlines before learning - Use mind maps to organize facts Questions to Reflect On - How does organizing information change your understanding? - When have you felt confused despite knowing a lot? A Different Perspective Even well‑ordered knowledge can be overwhelming if the volume exceeds processing capacity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) ## Related quotes > [If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/if-there-be-an-order-in-which-the-human-race-has-mastered-its-various/) [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/) > [As I see our world, I have never seen greater confusion, greater loss of meaning, greater uncertainty, and greater fear of what looms in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/as-i-see-our-world-i-have-never-seen-greater-confusion-greater-loss/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Fair, rich confusion is all the aim of an old-fashioned flower garden, and the greater the confusion, the richer. You want to come upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-bartlett-warner/fair-rich-confusion-is-all-the-aim-of-an-old-fashioned-flower-garden/) [Anna Bartlett Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-bartlett-warner/) > [A superstition which pretends to be scientific creates a much greater confusion of thought than one which contents itself with simple popular practices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/a-superstition-which-pretends-to-be-scientific-creates-a-much-greater/) [Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/) > [“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/) > [A man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enermy but also to hate his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mbululo/a-man-of-knowledge-must-be-able-not-only-to-love-his-enermy-but-also/) [Ally Mbululo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mbululo/) > [Let your desire for truth transcend all minor considerations. Ignorance is invariably confident. The man of knowledge learns to realize his own needs. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/let-your-desire-for-truth-transcend-all-minor-considerations/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Then who is the Man that has no Will, or Knowledge? Love! This is the Man, a piece of love from birth to death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/then-who-is-the-man-that-has-no-will-or-knowledge-love-this-is-the/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [It is not enough to prove something, one also has to seduce or elevate people to it. That is why the man of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-not-enough-to-prove-something-one-also-has-to-seduce-or-elevate/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“As a man's knowledge grows, and his power increases, the road he takes grows ever narrower, until at last he does only and wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/as-a-man-s-knowledge-grows-and-his-power-increases-the-road-he-takes/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The end of man is knowledge, but there is one thing he can't know. He can't know whether knowledge will save him or kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/the-end-of-man-is-knowledge-but-there-is-one-thing-he-can-t-know-he/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [A man has only so much knowledge as he puts to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/a-man-has-only-so-much-knowledge-as-he-puts-to-work/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [When a man's knowledge is deep, he speaks well of an enemy. Instead of seeking revenge, he extends unexpected generosity. He turns insult into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-deep-he-speaks-well-of-an-enemy-instead-of/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [As there must be moderation in other things, so there must be moderation in self-criticism. Perpetual contemplation of our own actions produces a morbid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/as-there-must-be-moderation-in-other-things-so-there-must-be/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) [Explore all 210 Herbert Spencer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) ## More Confusion quotes > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I believe confusion is good. Worldwide market leaders gain when there is confusion in the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhash-chandra/i-believe-confusion-is-good-worldwide-market-leaders-gain-when-there/) [Subhash Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhash-chandra/) > [Being actors we are dealing with the beauty and complexity of human confusion, no? And we are always trying to get answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/being-actors-we-are-dealing-with-the-beauty-and-complexity-of-human/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [“Wait, seriously, what's a piss pot?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/wait-seriously-what-s-a-piss-pot/) [Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/) > [I think there's confusion around what the point of social networks is. A lot of different companies characterized as social networks have different goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/i-think-there-s-confusion-around-what-the-point-of-social-networks-is/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [In history as it comes to be written, there is usually some Spirit of the Age which historians can define, but the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/in-history-as-it-comes-to-be-written-there-is-usually-some-spirit-of/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Psychedelic drugs cause paranoia, confusion, and total loss of reality in politicians that have never taken them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/psychedelic-drugs-cause-paranoia-confusion-and-total-loss-of-reality/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [That feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something, but you don't know what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-feeling-you-get-when-you-know-you-are-forgetting-something-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [But, when it comes to global warming, the public- at-large really doesn't know whom to believe anymore. And NASA has contributed to that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/but-when-it-comes-to-global-warming-the-public-at-large-really-doesn/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) > [You know your in LOVE,because,for once.. You know reality is better than your DREAMS..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-your-in-love-because-for-once-you-know-reality-is-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. But rarely, very rarely novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/in-these-days-of-faith-cures-and-hypnotism-and-telepathy-and/) [Walter de la Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [“If you want nothing to do with god then why do you say his name all the time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-reimer/if-you-want-nothing-to-do-with-god-then-why-do-you-say-his-name-all/) Emily Reimer [Browse all 1,822 Confusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbert Spencer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/herbert-spencer-1765_confusion_when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-t_69663.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a man's knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has the greater will be his confusion.” — Herbert Spencer", "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": "Herbert Spencer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a man's knowledge is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/when-a-man-s-knowledge-is-not-in-order-the-more-of-it-he-has-the/#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 } } ] } ```