---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mind of man is capable of…"
description: "\"The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg"
---

#  The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything…

![“The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valor, rage--who can tell?--but truth--truth stripped of its cloak of time.” quote by Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg)

> “The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valor, rage--who can tell?--but truth--truth stripped of its cloak of time.”

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The human mind holds all experiences—past, future, emotions, and truth—yet truth transcends time and perception.

**In simple terms:** The mind contains all feelings and truth beyond time.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the timeless nature of truth.

Themes

mind experience truth time emotion

Mood

contemplative thoughtful

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- self‑reflection
- creative writing
- meditation
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you discern timeless truth from fleeting emotions?
- What role does memory play in shaping your perception of truth?

A Different Perspective

Truth may be distorted by personal bias and memory.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Valor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valor/)

## Related quotes

> [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [The mind of man is capable of anything because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it-3/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [The need always to lie and always to avoid the truth stripped everyone of what Custine called 'the two greatest gifts of God-the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/the-need-always-to-lie-and-always-to-avoid-the-truth-stripped/)

[Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/)

> [The Way of a Warrior is based on humanity, love, and sincerity; the heart of martial valor is true bravery, wisdom, love, and friendship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-way-of-a-warrior-is-based-on-humanity-love-and-sincerity-the/)

[Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/)

> [What really counts is not the immediate act of courage or of valor, but those who bear the struggle day in and day out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/what-really-counts-is-not-the-immediate-act-of-courage-or-of-valor/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [There is always safety in valor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-always-safety-in-valor/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [A cold and searching wind drives away all contagion, and nothing can withstand it but what has a virtue in it, and accordingly, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-cold-and-searching-wind-drives-away-all-contagion-and-nothing-can/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perfect-valor-is-to-do-without-a-witness-all-that-we-could-do-before/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Whatever comes out of despair cannot bear the title of valor, which should be lifted up to such a height that holding all things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/whatever-comes-out-of-despair-cannot-bear-the-title-of-valor-which/)

[Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/)

> [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/)

[Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/)

> [“Within wounds there is valor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/within-wounds-there-is-valor/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [It is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-not-always-from-valor-or-from-chastity-that-men-are-brave-and/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [“Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/american-patriot-patrick-henry/besides-sir-we-shall-not-fight-our-battles-alone-there-is-a-just-god/)

American Patriot Patrick Henry

> [ Forgiveness is the best part of valor...Discretion is easy. It's finding the courage to forgive yourself and others that is hard. \[Acheron\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/forgiveness-is-the-best-part-of-valor-discretion-is-easy-it-s-finding/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/my-valour-is-certainly-going-it-is-sneaking-off-i-feel-it-oozing-out/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

## More by Joseph Conrad

> [“Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch, messengers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/hunters-for-gold-or-pursuers-of-fame-they-all-had-gone-out-on-that/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“Let the earth and the sea each have its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/let-the-earth-and-the-sea-each-have-its-own/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [He hated all this, and somehow he couldn't get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/he-hated-all-this-and-somehow-he-couldn-t-get-away/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“A fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-fool-what-with-sheer-fright-and-fine-sentiments-is-always-safe/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/few-men-realize-that-their-life-the-very-essence-of-their-character/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“Perhaps on some quiet night the tremor of far-off drums, sinking, swelling, a tremor vast, faint; a sound weird, appealing, suggestive and wild -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/perhaps-on-some-quiet-night-the-tremor-of-far-off-drums-sinking/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“All that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/all-that-mysterious-life-of-the-wilderness-that-stirs-in-the-forest/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“The fascination of the abomination—you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-fascination-of-the-abomination-you-know/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-s-only-those-who-do-nothing-that-make-no-mistakes-i-suppose/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/thieving-was-not-a-sheer-absurdity-it-was-a-form-of-human-industry/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [I found myself back in the sepulchral city resenting the sight of people hurrying through the streets to filch a little money from each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-found-myself-back-in-the-sepulchral-city-resenting-the-sight-of/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [Society was calling to its accomplished child to come, to be taken care of, to be instructed, to be judged, to be condemned; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/society-was-calling-to-its-accomplished-child-to-come-to-be-taken/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [I was constantly watching myself, my secret self, as dependent on my actions as my own personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-was-constantly-watching-myself-my-secret-self-as-dependent-on-my/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

[Explore all 645 Joseph Conrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

## More Capable quotes

> [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/)

[Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/)

> [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/)

[Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. 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/)

> [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/)

[Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/)

> [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/)

[August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/)

> [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/)

[Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/)

> [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/)

[Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/)

> [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/)

Sopharat

> [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/)

[Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/)

> [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/)

[John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/)

> [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/)

[John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/)

> [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/)

[Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/)

Browse all 3,861 Capable quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valor, rage--who can tell?--but truth--truth stripped of its cloak of time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joseph Conrad"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capable"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/joseph-conrad-336_capable_the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-b_484329.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future…” — Joseph Conrad",
                "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": "Joseph Conrad",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The mind of man is capable...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
