--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is in our own mind and not in exterior…" description: "\"It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we perceive most things; fools know scarcely anything because they are empty, and their heart is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png" --- # It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we… ![“It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we perceive most things; fools know scarcely anything because they are empty, and their heart is narrow; but great souls find in themselves a number of exterior things; they have no need to read or travel or to listen or to work to discover…” quote by Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png) > “It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we perceive most things; fools know scarcely anything because they are empty, and their heart is narrow; but great souls find in themselves a number of exterior things; they have no need to read or travel or to listen or to work to discover the highest truths; they have only to delve into themselves and search, if we may say so, their own thoughts.” [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We understand most through inner perception, not external objects; true insight comes from self‑reflection, not external learning. **In simple terms:** Understanding comes from within, not outside. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner reflection. Themes self‑knowledge philosophy inner perception Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - meditation - journaling - psychotherapy Key Concepts Stoicism self‑reflection epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How can you deepen your inner awareness? - What external habits limit your self‑reflection? A Different Perspective External knowledge alone cannot replace deep self‑inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Great souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-souls/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I know you can do anything you put your mind to and the exterior doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/normani-kordei/i-know-you-can-do-anything-you-put-your-mind-to-and-the-exterior/) [Normani Kordei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/normani-kordei/) > [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“We might say that we perceive the things themselves, that we are the world that thinks itself--or that the world is at the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/we-might-say-that-we-perceive-the-things-themselves-that-we-are-the/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Of what's to come the wise perceive things about to happen. Sometimes during moments of intense study their hearing's troubled: the hidden sound of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-p-cavafy/of-what-s-to-come-the-wise-perceive-things-about-to-happen-sometimes/) [C.P. Cavafy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-p-cavafy/) > [Understanding like the eye; whilst it makes us see and perceive all things, takes no notice of itself; and it requires art and pains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/understanding-like-the-eye-whilst-it-makes-us-see-and-perceive-all/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [No amount of effort could have stopped that, because our points of view - the way we perceive things - are inextricably linked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/no-amount-of-effort-could-have-stopped-that-because-our-points-of/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [We made The Who look like church boys on Sunday. We done things only fools'd do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-van-zant/we-made-the-who-look-like-church-boys-on-sunday-we-done-things-only/) [Ronnie Van Zant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-van-zant/) > [Only fools make foolish things. Only fools make foolish remarks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulumko-pantsi/only-fools-make-foolish-things-only-fools-make-foolish-remarks/) [Bulumko Pantsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulumko-pantsi/) > [People reveal their character even in the simplest things they do. Fools do not enter a room, nor leave it, nor sit down, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/people-reveal-their-character-even-in-the-simplest-things-they-do/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The wise have always said the same things, and fools, who are the majority have always done just the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-wise-have-always-said-the-same-things-and-fools-who-are-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The light is there, and colors surround us. However, if there were no light nor colors in our own eye, we wouldn't perceive such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-light-is-there-and-colors-surround-us-however-if-there-were-no/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There's no way we can possibly understand anything. But we can see things, we can perceive things, and we can wonder. We can just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-s-no-way-we-can-possibly-understand-anything-but-we-can-see/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm an actor, and everything about me - the way I perceive things, the way I have seen the world - has been in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-m-an-actor-and-everything-about-me-the-way-i-perceive-things-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“I do not subscribe to this communal error of judging a man according to the way I perceive things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/i-do-not-subscribe-to-this-communal-error-of-judging-a-man-according/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [For a very long time now, we've seen things one way, which is through the eyes of men. Quite frankly, I'm a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyriq-bent/for-a-very-long-time-now-we-ve-seen-things-one-way-which-is-through/) [Lyriq Bent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyriq-bent/) ## More by Luc de Clapiers > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/there-are-those-who-are-so-scrupulously-afraid-of-doing-wrong-that/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men are not to be judged by what they do not know, but by what they know, and by the manner in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-are-not-to-be-judged-by-what-they-do-not-know-but-by-what-they/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/none-are-more-liable-to-mistakes-than-those-who-act-only-on-second/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-mind-is-the-soul-s-eye-not-its-source-of-power-that-lies-in-the/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is easier to say new things than to reconcile those which have already been said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-easier-to-say-new-things-than-to-reconcile-those-which-have/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Those who can bear all can dare all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/those-who-can-bear-all-can-dare-all/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-of-no-use-to-possess-a-lively-wit-if-it-is-not-of-the-right/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Explore all 190 Luc de Clapiers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## More Empty quotes > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. 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Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [Why chase after thoughts, which are superficial ripples of present awareness? Rather look directly into the naked, empty nature of thoughts; then there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamgon-kongtrul/why-chase-after-thoughts-which-are-superficial-ripples-of-present/) Jamgon Kongtrul > [Education turns an empty mind into an open mind. It turns information into behavioural transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-khera/education-turns-an-empty-mind-into-an-open-mind-it-turns-information/) [Shiv Khera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-khera/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [I don't see the future as bright, language-wise. I see it as a glass half empty - and evaporating quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-don-t-see-the-future-as-bright-language-wise-i-see-it-as-a-glass/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I get letters every year from women who think Valentine's Day is an empty exercise, but are ironically pretty exercised when their boyfriends neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-get-letters-every-year-from-women-who-think-valentine-s-day-is-an/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) Browse all 3,081 Empty quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we perceive most things; fools know scarcely anything because they are empty, and their heart is narrow; but great souls find in themselves a number of exterior things; they have no need to read or travel or to listen or to work to discover the highest truths; they have only to delve into themselves and search, if we may say so, their own thoughts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luc de Clapiers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterior-objects-that-we-perceive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Empty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterior-objects-that-we-perceive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/luc-de-clapiers-2035_empty_it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterio_3059923.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is in our own mind and not in exterior objects that we perceive most things; fools know scarcely anything…” — Luc de Clapiers", "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": "Luc de Clapiers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is in our own mind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterior-objects-that-we-perceive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-in-our-own-mind-and-not-in-exterior-objects-that-we-perceive/#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 } } ] } ```