--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the Absolute, as we now know, all…" description: "\"For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual, but is individual as expressing a meaning.\" — Josiah Royce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png" --- # For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual… ![“For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual, but is individual as expressing a meaning.” quote by Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png) > “For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual, but is individual as expressing a meaning.” [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests life is individual yet expresses meaning. **In simple terms:** Individual life has meaning. Key Takeaway Seek personal purpose. Themes philosophy individualism meaning Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How do individuality and meaning intersect? A Different Perspective May be abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [No man writes a book without meaning something, though he may not have the faculty of writing consequentially and expressing his meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/no-man-writes-a-book-without-meaning-something-though-he-may-not-have/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The first and most important thing an individual can do is to become an individual again, decontrol himself, train himself as to what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-first-and-most-important-thing-an-individual-can-do-is-to-become/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [You have to go the rounds from individual to individual in order to gather the totality of the race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/you-have-to-go-the-rounds-from-individual-to-individual-in-order-to/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [“Romantic literature often presents the individual as somebody caught in a struggle against the state and the market. Nothing could be further from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/romantic-literature-often-presents-the-individual-as-somebody-caught-2/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“All art is only done by the individual. The individual is all you ever have and all schools only serve to classify their members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/all-art-is-only-done-by-the-individual-the-individual-is-all-you-ever/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The race advances only by the extra achievements of the individual. You are the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-towne/the-race-advances-only-by-the-extra-achievements-of-the-individual/) Charles Towne > [Mankind must work continually to produce individual great human beings - this and nothing else is the task... for the question is this :…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/mankind-must-work-continually-to-produce-individual-great-human/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Think about who you are. Think about how nice you can be to another person. By the same token then, to have your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/think-about-who-you-are-think-about-how-nice-you-can-be-to-another/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [“Instead of the concrete individual, you have the names of organizations and, at the highest point, the abstract idea of the State as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/instead-of-the-concrete-individual-you-have-the-names-of/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [The life of the individual has meaning only insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-life-of-the-individual-has-meaning-only-insofar-as-it-aids-in/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Life, individual or collective, personal or historic, is the one entity in the universe whose substance is compact of danger, of adventure. It is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/life-individual-or-collective-personal-or-historic-is-the-one-entity/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [When important issues affecting the life of an individual are decided by somebody else, it makes no difference to the individual whether that somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taggart/when-important-issues-affecting-the-life-of-an-individual-are-decided/) James Taggart > [For a man is a little lower than the angels, yet was made that he might become the companion of the Creative Forces; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-a-man-is-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-yet-was-made-that-he/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [The essential thing, the ultimate goal of politics and thought, is a bigger life for the individual. A bigger life – that remains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/the-essential-thing-the-ultimate-goal-of-politics-and-thought-is-a/) [Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/) > [“He would have lived countless times over the life of the individual, of the family, tribe and people, and he would possess the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/he-would-have-lived-countless-times-over-the-life-of-the-individual/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) ## More by Josiah Royce > [Life involves passions, faiths, doubts, and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/life-involves-passions-faiths-doubts-and-courage/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Interfere with the reality of my world, and you therefore take the very life and heart out of my will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/interfere-with-the-reality-of-my-world-and-you-therefore-take-the/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Religious faith, indeed, relates to that which is above us, but it must arise from that which is within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/religious-faith-indeed-relates-to-that-which-is-above-us-but-it-must/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [But you are alone. Yet I never tell what you are. And if your face lights up my world as no other can -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/but-you-are-alone-yet-i-never-tell-what-you-are-and-if-your-face/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [A crowd, whether it be a dangerous mob, or an amiably joyous gathering at a picnic is not a community. It has a mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/a-crowd-whether-it-be-a-dangerous-mob-or-an-amiably-joyous-gathering/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Ideas any one can mould as he wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/ideas-any-one-can-mould-as-he-wishes/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [As for you, my beloved friend, I loyally believe in your uniqueness; but whenever I try to tell to you wherein it consists, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/as-for-you-my-beloved-friend-i-loyally-believe-in-your-uniqueness-but/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [This preparatory sort of idealism is the one that, as I just suggested, Berkeley made prominent, and, after a fashion familiar. I must state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/this-preparatory-sort-of-idealism-is-the-one-that-as-i-just-suggested/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [The world, as transformed by this creative deed, is better than it would have been had all else remained the same, but had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-world-as-transformed-by-this-creative-deed-is-better-than-it/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Only the more uncompromising of the mystics still seek for knowledge in a silent land of absolute intuition, where the intellect finally lays down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/only-the-more-uncompromising-of-the-mystics-still-seek-for-knowledge/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [The other aspect of idealism is the one which gives us our notion of the absolute Self. To it the first is only preparatory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-other-aspect-of-idealism-is-the-one-which-gives-us-our-notion-of/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [If I look to see what I ever did that, for all I now know, some other man might not have done, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/if-i-look-to-see-what-i-ever-did-that-for-all-i-now-know-some-other/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Men accept without questioning that this world is real and important and worthwhile. This is faith. Philosophy is the ongoing questioning of this faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/men-accept-without-questioning-that-this-world-is-real-and-important/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [So far as we live and strive at all, our lives are various, are needed for the whole, and are unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/so-far-as-we-live-and-strive-at-all-our-lives-are-various-are-needed/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [And just because God attains and wins and finds this uniqueness all our lives win in our union with him the individuality which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/and-just-because-god-attains-and-wins-and-finds-this-uniqueness-all/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) [Explore all 43 Josiah Royce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## More Absolute quotes > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Absolute is a game with only one player where Absolute forgets itself so it would have a reason to fulfill the motion while returning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/absolute-is-a-game-with-only-one-player-where-absolute-forgets-itself/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“The necessity of nothingness does not create anything. The real value and meaning of the Being are not in its necessity but in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/the-necessity-of-nothingness-does-not-create-anything-the-real-value/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I can like something. You can like something. It's not an absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/i-can-like-something-you-can-like-something-it-s-not-an-absolute/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/nothing-is-absolute-everything-changes-everything-moves-everything/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I - it's simply not for me to evaluate an independent rating agency's processes. But I will say that there was reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-it-s-simply-not-for-me-to-evaluate-an-independent-rating-agency-s/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [Absolute morality is the regulation of conduct in such a way that pain shall not be inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/absolute-morality-is-the-regulation-of-conduct-in-such-a-way-that/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [What is liberty? There is no such thing as absolute liberty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/what-is-liberty-there-is-no-such-thing-as-absolute-liberty/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [Doing the right thing at all costs is an absolute, and only a sith deals in absolutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-filoni/doing-the-right-thing-at-all-costs-is-an-absolute-and-only-a-sith/) [Dave Filoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-filoni/) > [“Energy is the world-born phenomenon, the world that puts itself in motion and flies into space by receiving space into itself. From this point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/energy-is-the-world-born-phenomenon-the-world-that-puts-itself-in/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“As we see it, space is possible only when the primordial Being swallows emptiness. Space is born when the Being accepts emptiness, the Nonbeing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/as-we-see-it-space-is-possible-only-when-the-primordial-being/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Absolute faith can blind you to the consequences of the actions you allow. It can tell you it's okay to drop bombs on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-denton/absolute-faith-can-blind-you-to-the-consequences-of-the-actions-you/) [Andrew Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-denton/) > [“Zero is a gateway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/zero-is-a-gateway/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Absolute perfection is here and now, not in some future, near or far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/absolute-perfection-is-here-and-now-not-in-some-future-near-or-far/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) Browse all 631 Absolute quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual, but is individual as expressing a meaning.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josiah Royce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life-is-individual-but-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolute" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life-is-individual-but-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/josiah-royce-15505_absolute_for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life_2632241.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the Absolute, as we now know, all life is individual, but is individual as expressing a meaning.” — Josiah Royce", "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": "Josiah Royce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For the Absolute, as we now...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life-is-individual-but-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/for-the-absolute-as-we-now-know-all-life-is-individual-but-is/#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 } } ] } ```