--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is not determined by consciousness…" description: "\"Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.\" — Karl Marx" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/karl-marx-399_consciousness_life-is-not-determined-by-consciousness_439924.jpg" --- # Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness… ![“Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.” quote by Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/karl-marx-399_consciousness_life-is-not-determined-by-consciousness_439924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/karl-marx-399_consciousness_life-is-not-determined-by-consciousness_439924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/karl-marx-399_consciousness_life-is-not-determined-by-consciousness_439924.jpg) > “Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.” [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life shapes consciousness, not the other way around. **In simple terms:** Life determines consciousness. Key Takeaway Recognize external influences on thoughts. Themes consciousness materialism determinism philosophy Mood analytical serious Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - social policy - education - personal development Key Concepts dialectical materialism human condition Questions to Reflect On - How does your environment shape your mind? - Can you change your circumstances? A Different Perspective Consciousness also influences life through choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Consciousness Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness-consciousness/) [Consciousness Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness-life-247138/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Determined Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined-consciousness-710395/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-determined/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [There is no life without consciousness; there is no consciousness without life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/there-is-no-life-without-consciousness-there-is-no-consciousness/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [“It is this discovery of A5 Active Knower that separates Kant from all previous thinkers. Since reality is at least partially determined by Consciousness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-braver/it-is-this-discovery-of-a5-active-knower-that-separates-kant-from-all/) [Lee Braver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-braver/) > [The consciousness and life force do what they want... one minute they put energy to repairing the damaged wing of a butterfly and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/the-consciousness-and-life-force-do-what-they-want-one-minute-they/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [If we are in a high enough state of consciousness we see that life is only a passing dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-we-are-in-a-high-enough-state-of-consciousness-we-see-that-life-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Your value in life is determined by the problems you solve through your gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/your-value-in-life-is-determined-by-the-problems-you-solve-through/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [The real quality of our life is not determined by what we have won from it, but by what we have discovered within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/the-real-quality-of-our-life-is-not-determined-by-what-we-have-won/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-quality-of-your-life-is-determined-by-the-quality-of-your-thoughts/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [A child's course in life should be determined not by the zip code she's born in, but by the strength of her work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-child-s-course-in-life-should-be-determined-not-by-the-zip-code-she/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You shape your own life, and the shape of your life is determined to a great extent by your attitude. This is an area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/you-shape-your-own-life-and-the-shape-of-your-life-is-determined-to-a/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“A whole life has already been determined at a stage when we didn't know a thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/a-whole-life-has-already-been-determined-at-a-stage-when-we-didn-t/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's not about the body; you are consciousness. That's what you are. Your consciousness is already out of your body. You don't need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-campbell/it-s-not-about-the-body-you-are-consciousness-that-s-what-you-are/) [Thomas Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-campbell/) > [Consciousness does matter. Matter is secondary. Consciousness is primary. Brain does not do consciousness, consciousness does the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/consciousness-does-matter-matter-is-secondary-consciousness-is/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/i-regard-consciousness-as-fundamental-i-regard-matter-as-derivative/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [The consciousness in you and the consciousness in me, apparently two, really one, seek unity and that is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-consciousness-in-you-and-the-consciousness-in-me-apparently-two/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [“There are several ways for a body to be a body, and several ways for consciousness to be consciousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/there-are-several-ways-for-a-body-to-be-a-body-and-several-ways-for/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) ## More by Karl Marx > [“Economists have a singular method of procedure. There are only two kinds of institutions for them, artificial and natural. The institutions of feudalism are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/economists-have-a-singular-method-of-procedure-there-are-only-two/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [As the variable capital always stays in the hands of the capitalist in some form or other, it cannot be claimed in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-the-variable-capital-always-stays-in-the-hands-of-the-capitalist/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Money degrades all the gods of man and converts them into commodities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/money-degrades-all-the-gods-of-man-and-converts-them-into-commodities/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Communism... is the genuine resolution of the antagonism between man and nature and between man and man; it is the true resolution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/communism-is-the-genuine-resolution-of-the-antagonism-between-man-and/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/it-is-not-the-consciousness-of-men-that-determines-their-being-but-on/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Philosophy is to the real world as masturbation is to sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/philosophy-is-to-the-real-world-as-masturbation-is-to-sex/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/go-on-get-out-last-words-are-for-fools-who-haven-t-said-enough/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“If you love without evoking love in return - if through the vital expression of yourself as a loving person you fail to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-you-love-without-evoking-love-in-return-if-through-the-vital/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Do not be deluded by the abstract word Freedom. Whose freedom? Not the freedom of one individual in relation to another, but freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/do-not-be-deluded-by-the-abstract-word-freedom-whose-freedom-not-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The burgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all nations into civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-burgeoisie-by-the-rapid-improvement-of-all-instruments-of/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Ideas do not exist separately from language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/ideas-do-not-exist-separately-from-language/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [So in Jewry we recognise a contemporary universal anti-social phenomenon, which has reached its present pitch through a process of, historical development in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/so-in-jewry-we-recognise-a-contemporary-universal-anti-social/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-class-struggle-necessarily-leads-to-the-dictatorship-of-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [If this labourer were in possession of his own means of production, and was satisfied to live as a labourer, he need not work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-this-labourer-were-in-possession-of-his-own-means-of-production/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) [Explore all 571 Karl Marx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## More Consciousness quotes > [“You're never alone if you're with your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-armond-powell/you-re-never-alone-if-you-re-with-your-soul/) [Gerard Armond Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-armond-powell/) > [“I now argue that entry into Upper Palaeolithic caves was probably seen as virtually indistinguishable from entry into the mental vortex that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/i-now-argue-that-entry-into-upper-palaeolithic-caves-was-probably/) [James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/) > [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [“People and situations always show us what we need to see and learn about ourselves, and when we take responsibility for our own feelings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-mada-dalian/people-and-situations-always-show-us-what-we-need-to-see-and-learn/) [Eliza Mada Dalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-mada-dalian/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. 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