--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: most notable distinction between living…" description: "\"most notable distinction between living and inanimate beings is that the former maintain themselves by renewal.\" — John Dewey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png" --- # most notable distinction between living and inanimate… ![“most notable distinction between living and inanimate beings is that the former maintain themselves by renewal.” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png) > “most notable distinction between living and inanimate beings is that the former maintain themselves by renewal.” [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. Living beings sustain themselves through continual renewal, unlike inanimate objects which lack self‑maintenance. **In simple terms:** Living things renew themselves; dead things do not. Key Takeaway Embrace continual growth and renewal. Themes growth renewal life cycles self‑maintenance Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - health - environmental sustainability - organizational change Key Concepts Phenomenology process philosophy biology Questions to Reflect On - How do you foster renewal in your routines? - What limits renewal in your environment? A Different Perspective Renewal alone may not address external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beings Maintain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-maintain-6071359/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Distinction Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction-living-5102831/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Inanimate Beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inanimate-beings-1283551/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Inanimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-inanimate-6071360/) [Maintain Renewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintain-renewal-6071361/) [Notable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notable/) [Renewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewal/) ## Related quotes > [“All animated and inanimate beings are Enlightened at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/all-animated-and-inanimate-beings-are-enlightened-at-the-same-time/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [Is the distinction between living for Christ and dying for Him so great? 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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. 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [I think it is important for all those young out there - who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-think-it-is-important-for-all-those-young-out-there-who-someday/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. 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You can respect the office even as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-greenberg/people-should-make-distinctions-between-the-office-of-the-presidency/) [David Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-greenberg/) [Browse all 1,181 Distinction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "most notable distinction between living and inanimate beings is that the former maintain themselves by renewal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dewey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/most-notable-distinction-between-living-and-inanimate-beings-is-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Distinction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/most-notable-distinction-between-living-and-inanimate-beings-is-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/john-dewey-545_distinction_most-notable-distinction-between-living_790496.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“most notable distinction between living and inanimate beings is that the former maintain themselves by…” — 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": "most notable distinction between living and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/most-notable-distinction-between-living-and-inanimate-beings-is-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/most-notable-distinction-between-living-and-inanimate-beings-is-that/#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 } } ] } ```