--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be asked, how come we to ascribe…" description: "\"“It may be asked, how come we to ascribe our sensations to any external cause? And is there sufficient ground for so ascribing them? It is known, that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-stuart-mill-477_external-cause_it-may-be-asked-how-come-we-to-ascribe-o_541036.jpg" --- # It may be asked, how come we to ascribe our sensations to… ![“It may be asked, how come we to ascribe our sensations to any external cause? And is there sufficient ground for so ascribing them? It is known, that there are metaphysicians who have raised a controversy on the point; maintaining that we are not warranted in referring our sensations to a cause…” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-stuart-mill-477_external-cause_it-may-be-asked-how-come-we-to-ascribe-o_541036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-stuart-mill-477_external-cause_it-may-be-asked-how-come-we-to-ascribe-o_541036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/john-stuart-mill-477_external-cause_it-may-be-asked-how-come-we-to-ascribe-o_541036.jpg) > ““It may be asked, how come we to ascribe our sensations to any external cause? And is there sufficient ground for so ascribing them? It is known, that there are metaphysicians who have raised a controversy on the point; maintaining that we are not warranted in referring our sensations to a cause such as we understand by the word Body, or to any external cause whatever.”” [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mill questions whether we can reasonably attribute our sensations to external causes like the body, highlighting philosophical debate on causality. **In simple terms:** He questions if sensations truly come from outside us. Key Takeaway Examine the basis of your sensory assumptions. Themes philosophy epistemology metaphysics Mood curious analytical skeptical Type philosophical inquisitive critical When to use this quote - scientific research - medical diagnosis - psychology - everyday decision making Key Concepts causality sensory perception skepticism Questions to Reflect On - Do you assume external causes for all sensations? - How might internal factors shape perception? 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