Age Quote by John Wesley
“For many ages it has been allowed by sensible men, Nihil est in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu: That is, There is nothing in the understanding which was not first perceived by some of the senses. All the knowledge which we naturally have is originally derived from our senses. And therefore those who want any sense cannot have the least knowledge or idea of the objects of that sense; as they that never had sight have not the least knowledge or conception of light or colours.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Sermon on the Nature of Knowledge, 1765
Human understanding originates from sensory experience; concepts arise only after something is perceived by the senses.
In simple terms: We learn through our senses.
Key Takeaway
Ground knowledge in observation.
Themes
epistemology
perception
learning
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- education
- scientific research
- daily decision making
- skill acquisition
Key Concepts
empiricism
sensory theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify that a concept is rooted in experience?
- Can you imagine a sense without prior perception?
A Different Perspective
Purely abstract ideas may lack grounding without sensory input.
![“But, say you, surely there is nothing easier than for me to imagine trees, for instance, in a park [. . .] and nobody by to perceive them. [...] The objects of sense exist only when they are perceived; the trees therefore are in the garden [. . .] no longer than while there is somebody by to…” quote by George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/844/george-berkeley-8287_easier_but-say-you-surely-there-is-nothing-easi_583192.jpg)
