--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A disease of the mind, [whose] germ is…" description: "\"A disease of the mind, [whose] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way acquire virtue, by the process of being shown ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg" --- # A disease of the mind, \[whose\] germ is the idea that one… ![“A disease of the mind, [whose] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way acquire virtue, by the process of being shown things.” quote by Kingsley Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg) > “A disease of the mind, \[whose\] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way acquire virtue, by the process of being shown things.” Kingsley Martin ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind can be infected by the belief that learning virtue is possible through mere observation, undermining active moral effort. **In simple terms:** Virtue requires effort, not just seeing. Key Takeaway Seek active moral practice. Themes education virtue mindset learning criticism Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - school curricula - self‑improvement programs - leadership training - ethical debates Key Concepts philosophy ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance learning with action? - What habits foster genuine virtue? A Different Perspective Risk of dismissing the value of observation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes it takes a germ of an idea, which takes a long time to digest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/sometimes-it-takes-a-germ-of-an-idea-which-takes-a-long-time-to-digest/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [A bacteriologist is a man whose conversation always start with the germ of an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-bacteriologist-is-a-man-whose-conversation-always-start-with-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [When you're trying to come up with an idea for a movie it's actually the hardest part - the germ of the idea. Inevitably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/when-you-re-trying-to-come-up-with-an-idea-for-a-movie-it-s-actually/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [It's obviously unfair to paint with a broad brush here, but the germ of an idea for a breakthrough in technology doesn't come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moritz/it-s-obviously-unfair-to-paint-with-a-broad-brush-here-but-the-germ/) [Michael Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moritz/) > [Anyway, that was the germ of the idea and of course... you know this was early days of sociology and whatever, especially on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-apted/anyway-that-was-the-germ-of-the-idea-and-of-course-you-know-this-was/) [Michael Apted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-apted/) > [When you realize that you have a little germ of an idea that has - I suppose I can only say, has to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/when-you-realize-that-you-have-a-little-germ-of-an-idea-that-has-i/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [“Distress is a disease of the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/distress-is-a-disease-of-the-mind/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“To set up what you like against what you dislike—this is the disease of the mind. —Seng-Tsan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-tricarico/to-set-up-what-you-like-against-what-you-dislike-this-is-the-disease/) Dan Tricarico > [Art is community's medicine for that worst disease of the mind, the corruption of consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-g-collingwood/art-is-community-s-medicine-for-that-worst-disease-of-the-mind-the/) [Robin G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-g-collingwood/) > [Alcoholism is a disease. People will debate whether it is a disease of the mind, of genetics, or of circumstances. I don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-marie/alcoholism-is-a-disease-people-will-debate-whether-it-is-a-disease-of/) [Eva Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-marie/) > [(Baudelaire) had descended to the bottom of the inexhaustible mine, had picked his way along abandoned or unexplored galleries, and had finally reached those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joris-karl-huysmans/baudelaire-had-descended-to-the-bottom-of-the-inexhaustible-mine-had/) [Joris-Karl Huysmans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joris-karl-huysmans/) > [ In Alzheimer's \[disease\] the mind dies first: Names, dates, places-the interior scrapbook of an entire life-fade into mists of nonrecognition. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-clark/in-alzheimer-s-disease-the-mind-dies-first-names-dates-places-the/) Matt Clark > [It is with disease of the mind, as with those of the body; we are half dead before we understand our disorder, and half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-with-disease-of-the-mind-as-with-those-of-the-body-we-are-half/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The need for certainty is the greatest disease the Mind faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-need-for-certainty-is-the-greatest-disease-the-mind-faces/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [People learn from who we are, rather than what we say, and to believe otherwise is a disease of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/people-learn-from-who-we-are-rather-than-what-we-say-and-to-believe/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) ## More by Kingsley Martin > [The Monarchy...is the secret well from which the flourishing institution of British Snobbery draws its nourishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/the-monarchy-is-the-secret-well-from-which-the-flourishing/) Kingsley Martin > [One of the remarks made by farmers at their public discussion of these problems suggest that they are rapidly ceasing to think of animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/one-of-the-remarks-made-by-farmers-at-their-public-discussion-of/) Kingsley Martin > [I boast of being the only man in London who has been bombed off a lavatory seat while reading Jane Austen. She went into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/i-boast-of-being-the-only-man-in-london-who-has-been-bombed-off-a/) Kingsley Martin Explore all 4 Kingsley Martin quotes ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A disease of the mind, [whose] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way acquire virtue, by the process of being shown things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kingsley Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the-idea-that-one-may-learn-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the-idea-that-one-may-learn-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce8/kingsley-martin-70872_acquire_a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the_497139.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A disease of the mind, [whose] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way…” — Kingsley Martin", "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": "Kingsley Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A disease of the mind, [whose]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the-idea-that-one-may-learn-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the-idea-that-one-may-learn-that/#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 } } ] } ```