--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In laying hands upon the sacred ark of…" description: "\"In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute permanency, in treating the forms that had been regarded as types of fixity and perfection as originati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg" --- # In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute… ![“In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute permanency, in treating the forms that had been regarded as types of fixity and perfection as originating and passing away, the Origin of Species introduced a mode of thinking that in the end was bound to transform the logic of knowledge, and hence…” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg) > “In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute permanency, in treating the forms that had been regarded as types of fixity and perfection as originating and passing away, the Origin of Species introduced a mode of thinking that in the end was bound to transform the logic of knowledge, and hence the treatment of morals, politics, and religion.” [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Darwin's theory reshaped how we view change, showing that even seemingly fixed concepts evolve, affecting science, ethics, and society. **In simple terms:** Ideas thought thought evolve, changing many fields. Key Takeaway Embrace change and question permanence. Themes evolution knowledge ethics politics religion Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - policy making - personal growth - religious dialogue Key Concepts philosophy science logic Questions to Reflect On - How does change affect your core beliefs? - Can permanence be beneficial? A Different Perspective It may overlook the stability that traditions provide. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Ark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ark/) [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Fixity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixity/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Origin of species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin-of-species/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-away/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Originating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-originating-3004458/) [Politics And Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-and-religion/) [Religion and politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-and-politics/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Sacred Ark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-ark-1627232/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [Treatment Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment-morals-3004459/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) [Types Fixity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/types-fixity-3004460/) ## Related quotes > [“Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark by Sir Laurence Gardner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rollins/lost-secrets-of-the-sacred-ark-by-sir-laurence-gardner/) [James Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rollins/) > [Genius is but fine observation strengthened by fixity of purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/genius-is-but-fine-observation-strengthened-by-fixity-of-purpose/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“...we need to bear in mind that our opinion of other people, our ties with friends or family, have only the semblance of fixity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/we-need-to-bear-in-mind-that-our-opinion-of-other-people-our-ties/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [If common sense has not the brilliancy of the sun, it has the fixity of the stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-largo-caballero/if-common-sense-has-not-the-brilliancy-of-the-sun-it-has-the-fixity/) [Francisco Largo Caballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-largo-caballero/) > [The fixity of a habit is generally in direct proportion to its absurdity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-fixity-of-a-habit-is-generally-in-direct-proportion-to-its/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/wisdom-lies-neither-in-fixity-nor-in-change-but-in-the-dialectic/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [“ There is in all things a pattern that is part of our universe. It has symmetry, elegance, and grace - these qualities you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/there-is-in-all-things-a-pattern-that-is-part-of-our-universe-it-has/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Certainly sand was not suitable for life. Yet, was a stationary condition absolutely indispensable for existence? Didn't unpleasant competition arise precisely because one tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobo-abe/certainly-sand-was-not-suitable-for-life-yet-was-a-stationary/) [Kōbō Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobo-abe/) > [Human beings were not well served by permanence or stasis. Obviously, if individuals were progressing, they were undergoing a series of presumably desirable alterations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/human-beings-were-not-well-served-by-permanence-or-stasis-obviously/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“We have made a problem for ourselves by confusing the intelligible with the fixed. We think that making sense out of life is impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/we-have-made-a-problem-for-ourselves-by-confusing-the-intelligible/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“I read a page of Plato's great work. I can no longer understand anything, because behind the words on the page, which have their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/i-read-a-page-of-plato-s-great-work-i-can-no-longer-understand/) [Eugène Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [When politics and religion are intermingled, a people is suffused with a sense of invulnerability, and gathering speed in their forward charge, they fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/when-politics-and-religion-are-intermingled-a-people-is-suffused-with/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up reasons to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/as-a-species-we-re-fundamentally-insane-put-more-than-two-of-us-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Life becomes more beautiful when you live as if politics and religion don't exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raigon-stanley/life-becomes-more-beautiful-when-you-live-as-if-politics-and-religion/) [Raigon Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raigon-stanley/) > [Politics and religion are topics that people tend to stay away from in their conversations, because they're polarising. But they are important topics, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lindland/politics-and-religion-are-topics-that-people-tend-to-stay-away-from/) [Matt Lindland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lindland/) ## More by John Dewey > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Experiences in order to be educative must lead out into an expanding world of subject matter, a subject matter of facts or information and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/experiences-in-order-to-be-educative-must-lead-out-into-an-expanding/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A tribe, let us say, is warlike. The successes for which it strives, the achievements upon which it sets store, are connected with fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-tribe-let-us-say-is-warlike-the-successes-for-which-it-strives-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The phrase "think for one's self" is a pleonasm. Unless one does it for one's self, it isn't thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-phrase-think-for-one-s-self-is-a-pleonasm-unless-one-does-it-for/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Doctrine that eliminates or even obscures the function of choice of values and enlistment of desires and emotions in behalf of those chosen weakens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/doctrine-that-eliminates-or-even-obscures-the-function-of-choice-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract. The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Men live in a community in virtue of the things which they have in common; and communication is the way in which they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-live-in-a-community-in-virtue-of-the-things-which-they-have-in/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We can have facts without thinking but we cannot have thinking without facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-can-have-facts-without-thinking-but-we-cannot-have-thinking/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [But progress in knowledge has made us aware of the superficiality of Plato's lumping of individuals and their original powers into a few sharply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/but-progress-in-knowledge-has-made-us-aware-of-the-superficiality-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Even the alleged benefits of war, so far as more than alleged, spring from the fact that conflict of peoples at least enforces intercourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/even-the-alleged-benefits-of-war-so-far-as-more-than-alleged-spring/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/when-the-organization-called-soul-is-free-moving-and-operative/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Since in reality there is nothing to which growth is relative save more growth, there is nothing to which education is subordinate save more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/since-in-reality-there-is-nothing-to-which-growth-is-relative-save/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Creative thinking will improve as we relate the new fact to the old and all facts to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/creative-thinking-will-improve-as-we-relate-the-new-fact-to-the-old/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) [Explore all 486 John Dewey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) [Christy Nockels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-nockels/) > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute permanency, in treating the forms that had been regarded as types of fixity and perfection as originating and passing away, the Origin of Species introduced a mode of thinking that in the end was bound to transform the logic of knowledge, and hence the treatment of morals, politics, and religion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dewey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-absolute-permanency-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolutes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-absolute-permanency-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/john-dewey-545_absolutes_in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-a_1928687.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In laying hands upon the sacred ark of absolute permanency, in treating the forms that had been regarded as…” — John Dewey", "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": "John Dewey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In laying hands upon the sacred...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-absolute-permanency-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/in-laying-hands-upon-the-sacred-ark-of-absolute-permanency-in/#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 } } ] } ```