Able Quote by John Desmond Bernal
“The greater the man, the more he is soaked in the atmosphere of his time; only thus can he get a wide enough grasp of it to be able to change substantially the pattern of knowledge and action.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Social Function of Science by John Desmond Bernal, 1939
A great mind must be deeply attuned to its era to reshape knowledge and action effectively.
In simple terms: Understanding your era helps change knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Study your times to influence change.
Themes
history
science
change
knowledge
Mood
reflective
intellectual
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- academic research
- cultural analysis
- strategic planning
Key Concepts
Sociology
philosophy
systems thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your era shape your ideas?
- Can one change without deep contextual awareness?
A Different Perspective
May overlook individual agency in favor of broad trends.
![“People today distinguish between knowledge and action and pursue them separately, believing that one must know before he can act... . They say [they will wait] till they truly know before putting their knowledge into practice. Consequently to the end of their lives, they will never act and also…” quote by Wang Yangming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5b6/wang-yangming-43856_action_people-today-distinguish-between-knowled_3161613.jpg)
![“The problem [of specialization] is essentially that of communications to an army in action. After a rapid advance communications become disorganized, and there is a temporary halting until they are again in working order.” quote by John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/29d/john-desmond-bernal-14871_action_the-problem-of-specialization-is-essenti_695877.jpg)
![“[In eighteenth-century Britain] engineers for the most began as simple workmen, skilful and ambitious but usually illiterate and self-taught. They were either millwrights like Bramah, mechanics like Murdoch and George Stephenson, or smiths like Newcomen and Maudslay.” quote by John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c15/john-desmond-bernal-14871_ambitious_in-eighteenth-century-britain-engineers_929710.jpg)
