Essence Quote by Laura Riding
“The sciences that purport to treat of human things -- the new scientific storyings of the social, the political, the racial or ethnic, and the psychic, nature of human beings -- treat not of human things but mere things, things that make up the physical, or circumstantial, content of human life but are not of the stuff of humanity, have not the human essence in them.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Human Essence in Science," 1935
Critiques scientific approaches that reduce human experience to mere objects, ignoring deeper humanity.
In simple terms: Science often treats humans as objects, not beings.
Key Takeaway
Seek holistic understanding of humanity.
Themes
humanity
science
reductionism
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- policy making
- education
- public debate
Key Concepts
ontological critique
human essence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can science honor human essence?
- What are the limits of reductionist methods?
A Different Perspective
Complexity of human experience resists simple categorization.
![“She [Venison] had never travelled and so could invent all kinds of strange places without being limited, as travelled people are, by knowledge of certain places only.” quote by Laura Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c12/laura-riding-9995_all-kinds_she-venison-had-never-travelled-and-so-c_607803.jpg)
