--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we need is something, a definition…" description: "\"What we need is something, a definition of a human, starting from the ground up, so that the suitable moral structure that goes around it makes sense. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jerry-garcia-2346_bits_what-we-need-is-something-a-definition-o_836267.jpg" --- # What we need is something, a definition of a human… ![“What we need is something, a definition of a human, starting from the ground up, so that the suitable moral structure that goes around it makes sense. The context has to come from the human first, rather than bits and pieces of fragments of old religion and all of the old moral superstructure…” quote by Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jerry-garcia-2346_bits_what-we-need-is-something-a-definition-o_836267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jerry-garcia-2346_bits_what-we-need-is-something-a-definition-o_836267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jerry-garcia-2346_bits_what-we-need-is-something-a-definition-o_836267.jpg) > “What we need is something, a definition of a human, starting from the ground up, so that the suitable moral structure that goes around it makes sense. The context has to come from the human first, rather than bits and pieces of fragments of old religion and all of the old moral superstructure, whatever it used to be.” [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human morality should be built from the individual's experience, not from imposed doctrines. **In simple terms:** Moral systems belong on human experience. Key Takeaway Build ethics from lived reality. Themes morality humanism foundations Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - community building - policy making - education - spiritual practice Key Concepts Philosophy anthropology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies honor individual experience in law? - What foundations should guide modern ethics? A Different Perspective Abstract ideals may ignore practical human needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) ## Related quotes > [The battle between Google and Apple has shifted from devices, operating systems, and apps to a new, amorphous idea called 'contextual computing.' We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/the-battle-between-google-and-apple-has-shifted-from-devices/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [I got really good input up until the age of 11, which is perfect. 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Dyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-j-dyck/) > [“At stake then in the debate over assisted suicide is nothing less than a shift away from a moral structure that is at once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-j-dyck/at-stake-then-in-the-debate-over-assisted-suicide-is-nothing-less/) [Arthur J. Dyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-j-dyck/) > [Definition Of A Human Being: A Creature That Chops Down Trees, Makes It Into Paper, And Writes, SAVE TREES On That Same Paper...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-watson/definition-of-a-human-being-a-creature-that-chops-down-trees-makes-it/) [Toni Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-watson/) > [“Your definition of human is not the same as mine. To you, it means something... negative. 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You have to lead them somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/you-can-t-fool-an-audience-with-lots-of-bits-and-pieces-you-have-to/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) ## More by Jerry Garcia > [once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look it right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/once-in-awhile-you-get-shown-the-light-in-the-strangest-of-places-if/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [To me, that's the key thing, the pursuit of happiness. That's the basic, ultimate freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/to-me-that-s-the-key-thing-the-pursuit-of-happiness-that-s-the-basic/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [“A leaf of all colors plays a golden-string fiddle To a double-e waterfall over my back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/a-leaf-of-all-colors-plays-a-golden-string-fiddle-to-a-double-e/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [Some things may work, but they definitely won't work every time. Some things may work at various times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/some-things-may-work-but-they-definitely-won-t-work-every-time-some/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [It's odd that there is a high level of appreciation of nature. There is the aesthetic side that really loves nature and beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/it-s-odd-that-there-is-a-high-level-of-appreciation-of-nature-there/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [If you think of music as a universal language, it still has some very powerful dialects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/if-you-think-of-music-as-a-universal-language-it-still-has-some-very/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [You have to be ready, and also you have to discard notions that are fondly held by a lot of musicians, about sequences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/you-have-to-be-ready-and-also-you-have-to-discard-notions-that-are/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [If you are picking the lesser of two evils, you are still picking Evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/if-you-are-picking-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-are-still-picking-evil/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [Our strong suit is what we do, and our audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/our-strong-suit-is-what-we-do-and-our-audience/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [And for me there's still more material than 20 lifetimes that I can use up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/and-for-me-there-s-still-more-material-than-20-lifetimes-that-i-can/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [It's much too late to do anything about rock & roll now ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/it-s-much-too-late-to-do-anything-about-rock-roll-now/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [Yeah, I think we have to. 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