--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no one kind of thing that we…" description: "\"There is no one kind of thing that we 'perceive' but many different kinds, the number being reducible if at all by scientific investigation and not by ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/j-l-austin-17560_cinema_there-is-no-one-kind-of-thing-that-we-pe_1235719.png" --- # There is no one kind of thing that we 'perceive' but many… ![“There is no one kind of thing that we 'perceive' but many different kinds, the number being reducible if at all by scientific investigation and not by philosophy: pens are in many ways though not in all ways unlike rainbows, which are in many ways though not in all ways unlike after-images, which…” quote by J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/j-l-austin-17560_cinema_there-is-no-one-kind-of-thing-that-we-pe_1235719.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/j-l-austin-17560_cinema_there-is-no-one-kind-of-thing-that-we-pe_1235719.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/j-l-austin-17560_cinema_there-is-no-one-kind-of-thing-that-we-pe_1235719.png) > “There is no one kind of thing that we 'perceive' but many different kinds, the number being reducible if at all by scientific investigation and not by philosophy: pens are in many ways though not in all ways unlike rainbows, which are in many ways though not in all ways unlike after-images, which in turn are in many ways but not in all ways unlike pictures on the cinema-screen--and so on.” [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perception is a collection of varied experiences, not a single uniform thing, and science can categorize them better than philosophy. **In simple terms:** We perceive many different kinds of things. Key Takeaway Recognize the diversity of perception. Themes perception science philosophy experience Mood curious analytical Type academic explanatory When to use this quote - psychology research - art criticism - visual design - education - media analysis Key Concepts Phenomenology epistemology categorization Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance scientific categorization with personal experience? - Can perception be fully quantified? A Different Perspective Science may not capture subjective nuances fully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow/) ## Related quotes > [It's a wonderful thing to perceive the world and to interact with it and with other people and nature from that deep place of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-to-perceive-the-world-and-to-interact-with-it/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I feel it is the heart, not the eye, that should determine the content of the photograph. What the eye sees is its own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-parks/i-feel-it-is-the-heart-not-the-eye-that-should-determine-the-content/) [Gordon Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-parks/) > [I honestly think there's people who just perceive me different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hawkins/i-honestly-think-there-s-people-who-just-perceive-me-different/) [Andrew Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hawkins/) > [I feel - and this goes back to social media and freedom of speech - when you're on a public platform, and you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/i-feel-and-this-goes-back-to-social-media-and-freedom-of-speech-when/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [“Today we see the art of the past as nobody saw it before. We actually perceive it in a different way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/today-we-see-the-art-of-the-past-as-nobody-saw-it-before-we-actually/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [I love that people are going, Yeah, I love a hundred different kinds of beauty; it's not all the tall, skinny supermodel. Around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-love-that-people-are-going-yeah-i-love-a-hundred-different-kinds-of/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [I like all different kinds of music. I never heavily molded myself after rappers. 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Austin > [We become obsessed with 'truth' when discussing statements, just as we become obsessed with 'freedom' when discussing conduct...Like freedom, truth is a bare minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/we-become-obsessed-with-truth-when-discussing-statements-just-as-we/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Usually it is uses of words, not words in themselves, that are properly called vague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/usually-it-is-uses-of-words-not-words-in-themselves-that-are-properly/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The theory of truth is a series of truisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-theory-of-truth-is-a-series-of-truisms/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [In the one defense, briefly, we accept responsibility but deny that it was bad: in the other, we admit that it was bad but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/in-the-one-defense-briefly-we-accept-responsibility-but-deny-that-it/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Are cans constitutionally iffy? Whenever, that is, we say that we can do something, or could do something, or could have done something, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/are-cans-constitutionally-iffy-whenever-that-is-we-say-that-we-can-do/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The trouble is that the expression 'material thing' is functioning already, from the very beginning, simply as a foil for 'sense-datum'; it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-trouble-is-that-the-expression-material-thing-is-functioning/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The beginning of sense, not to say wisdom, is to realize that 'doing an action,' as used in philosophy, is a highly abstract expression--it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-beginning-of-sense-not-to-say-wisdom-is-to-realize-that-doing-an/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Is it true or false that Belfast is north of London? That the galaxy is the shape of a fried egg? That Beethoven was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/is-it-true-or-false-that-belfast-is-north-of-london-that-the-galaxy/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing. It embodies, indeed, something better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim-to-be-the-last-word-if-there/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Our common stock of words embodies all the distinctions men have found worth drawing, and the connexions they have found worth marketing, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/our-common-stock-of-words-embodies-all-the-distinctions-men-have/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [It should be quite clear, then, that there are no criteria to be laid down in general for distinguishing the real from the not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/it-should-be-quite-clear-then-that-there-are-no-criteria-to-be-laid/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [In one sense 'there are' both universals and material objects, in another sense there is no such thing as either: statements about each can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/in-one-sense-there-are-both-universals-and-material-objects-in/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim-to-be-the-last-word-if-there-2/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [I begin, then, with some remarks about 'the meaning of a word.' I think many persons now see all or part of what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/i-begin-then-with-some-remarks-about-the-meaning-of-a-word-i-think/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Fact is richer than diction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/fact-is-richer-than-diction/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) [Explore all 37 J. L. Austin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no one kind of thing that we 'perceive' but many different kinds, the number being reducible if at all by scientific investigation and not by philosophy: pens are in many ways though not in all ways unlike rainbows, which are in many ways though not in all ways unlike after-images, which in turn are in many ways but not in all ways unlike pictures on the cinema-screen--and so on.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. L. 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