Be good Quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“Definitions would be good things if we did not use words to make them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, 1755
Words can limit understanding; definitions are clearer when they avoid linguistic constraints.
In simple terms: Definitions work better without words.
Seek clarity beyond language.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- teaching
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we convey meaning without language?
- What does it mean to define without words?
Words themselves can become barriers to insight.