--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the mass of people, vegetative and…" description: "\"“In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions dominate. Their energy of intelligence is so feeble and inconstant that it is constantly overpo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/john-dewey-545_means-ends_in-the-mass-of-people-vegetative-and-ani_2115583.png" --- # In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions… ![“In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions dominate. Their energy of intelligence is so feeble and inconstant that it is constantly overpowered by bodily appetite and passion.Such persons are not truly ends in themselves, for only reason constitutes a final end. Like plants, animals…” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/john-dewey-545_means-ends_in-the-mass-of-people-vegetative-and-ani_2115583.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/john-dewey-545_means-ends_in-the-mass-of-people-vegetative-and-ani_2115583.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/john-dewey-545_means-ends_in-the-mass-of-people-vegetative-and-ani_2115583.png) > ““In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions dominate. Their energy of intelligence is so feeble and inconstant that it is constantly overpowered by bodily appetite and passion.Such persons are not truly ends in themselves, for only reason constitutes a final end. Like plants, animals and physical tools, they are means, appliances, for the attaining of ends beyond themselves, although unlike them they have enough intelligence to exercise a certain discretion in the execution of the tasks committed to them. Thus by nature, and not merely by social convention, there are those who are slaves—that is, means for the ends of others.”” [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. People who act merely as tools for others lack intrinsic purpose, becoming slaves to external ends. **In simple terms:** Treating others as means denies their humanity. Key Takeaway Respect autonomy and mutual purpose. Themes autonomy instrumentalization human dignity purpose Mood critical analytical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - workplace hierarchy - educational settings - political policy - personal relationships Key Concepts ethical philosophy social theory human rights Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure you treat others as ends? - What structures perpetuate instrumentalization? A Different Perspective Complex power dynamics can obscure genuine autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Vigorous let us be in attaining our ends, and mild in our method of attainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/vigorous-let-us-be-in-attaining-our-ends-and-mild-in-our-method-of/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [You don't want to be an animal, you want to observe your own animal functions, so as to get a mental thrill out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/you-don-t-want-to-be-an-animal-you-want-to-observe-your-own-animal/) [D. H. 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Because there are no ends, there are only means...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-warrior-knows-that-the-ends-do-not-justify-the-means-because-there/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In our enthusiasm to dominate nature and to produce more material good - goods - we have transformed means into ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-our-enthusiasm-to-dominate-nature-and-to-produce-more-material/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preexists in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/cause-and-effect-means-and-ends-seed-and-fruit-cannot-be-severed-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is no distinction between means and ends. There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. 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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 Means Ends quotes > [In the final analysis, means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and, ultimately, destructive means cannot bring about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/in-the-final-analysis-means-and-ends-must-cohere-because-the-end-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [the ends never justify the means because IT never ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/the-ends-never-justify-the-means-because-it-never-ends/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [Ballet is a riddle of means and ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gelsey-kirkland/ballet-is-a-riddle-of-means-and-ends/) [Gelsey Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gelsey-kirkland/) > [“The means are the end, only peace brings peace, only just acts bring justice...the separation of means and ends was false. For her as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-means-are-the-end-only-peace-brings-peace-only-just-acts-bring/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Greatness and goodness are not means, but ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/greatness-and-goodness-are-not-means-but-ends/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [I've always been strongly on the side of non-violence. Also, I think that if you use the wrong means, the ends themselves get distorted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/i-ve-always-been-strongly-on-the-side-of-non-violence-also-i-think/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Means and ends are central. If your means are corroded, your ends will be corroded. And if you're fighting to preserve liberty and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/means-and-ends-are-central-if-your-means-are-corroded-your-ends-will/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [“There is no distinction between means and ends. There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. There is no way to enlightenment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/there-is-no-distinction-between-means-and-ends-there-is-no-way-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preexists in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/cause-and-effect-means-and-ends-seed-and-fruit-cannot-be-severed-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In our enthusiasm to dominate nature and to produce more material good - goods - we have transformed means into ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-our-enthusiasm-to-dominate-nature-and-to-produce-more-material/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [A Warrior knows that the ends do not justify the means. Because there are no ends, there are only means...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-warrior-knows-that-the-ends-do-not-justify-the-means-because-there/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/) Richard Herley > [Means are ends in the making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/means-are-ends-in-the-making/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When we deliberate it is about means and not ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/when-we-deliberate-it-is-about-means-and-not-ends/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [We need to explore the relationship between means and ends. Purposes grow out of situations. One may find the pursuit first and then this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hawkins/we-need-to-explore-the-relationship-between-means-and-ends-purposes/) [David Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hawkins/) Browse all 21 Means Ends quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions dominate. Their energy of intelligence is so feeble and inconstant that it is constantly overpowered by bodily appetite and passion.Such persons are not truly ends in themselves, for only reason constitutes a final end. Like plants, animals and physical tools, they are means, appliances, for the attaining of ends beyond themselves, although unlike them they have enough intelligence to exercise a certain discretion in the execution of the tasks committed to them. 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