--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I admit, that the brain does not govern…" description: "\"“I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well as one might wish- else all men would be saints and hell would be empty of lechers.”\" — Mered..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg" --- # I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well… ![“I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well as one might wish- else all men would be saints and hell would be empty of lechers.” quote by Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg) > ““I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well as one might wish- else all men would be saints and hell would be empty of lechers.”” [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The brain’s limited control over the body means people act beyond rational intent, leading to moral failings. **In simple terms:** The brain can’t fully control behavior. Key Takeaway Accept human imperfection. Themes morality human nature control Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal ethics - psychology - social policy Key Concepts Neuroscience ethical limits Questions to Reflect On - What role does choice play in moral behavior? - Can we improve self‑governance? A Different Perspective Assumes all moral failings stem from biology alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Lust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lust/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [Love is apt to make lunatics of even men and saints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/love-is-apt-to-make-lunatics-of-even-men-and-saints/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Saints rarely have friends; they are usually hated and derided, for they love and love is always rejected by hard-hearted men…saints do not advertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/saints-rarely-have-friends-they-are-usually-hated-and-derided-for/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [“I'm saying that some men are saints. Some are happy being meek and humble and unambitious. Some men are born content to be second-best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/i-m-saying-that-some-men-are-saints-some-are-happy-being-meek-and/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“It would be more accurate to say that we see with our brain rather than with our eyes. However, the more interesting point is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kohlrieser/it-would-be-more-accurate-to-say-that-we-see-with-our-brain-rather/) [George Kohlrieser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kohlrieser/) > [The initial organization of the brain does not depend that much on experience. Nature provides a first draft, which experience then revises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/the-initial-organization-of-the-brain-does-not-depend-that-much-on/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [Your brain does not understand what you are capable of. There is way more inside of you than you can imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/your-brain-does-not-understand-what-you-are-capable-of-there-is-way/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [It is fair to say that science provides no method of controlling the mind. Scientific work on the brain does not explain the mind-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilder-penfield/it-is-fair-to-say-that-science-provides-no-method-of-controlling-the/) [Wilder Penfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilder-penfield/) > [“Because the brain does not possess robust ‘fault detectors’, the brain will just as easily encode irrational thoughts and beliefs just as it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-goedken/because-the-brain-does-not-possess-robust-fault-detectors-the-brain/) [Brian Goedken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-goedken/) > [“But the brain does much more than just recollect it inter-compares, it synthesizes, it analyzes, it generates abstractions. The simplest thought like the concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/but-the-brain-does-much-more-than-just-recollect-it-inter-compares-it/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“the more attention-demanding tasks your brain does, the worse it does each one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-chabris/the-more-attention-demanding-tasks-your-brain-does-the-worse-it-does/) Christopher Chabris > [“When a particular function of the mind does not work well, it shows how effective the brain is when it does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-levinson/when-a-particular-function-of-the-mind-does-not-work-well-it-shows/) Joel Levinson > [God knows what I thought! Your brain does amazing acrobatics when it doesn't want to believe something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/god-knows-what-i-thought-your-brain-does-amazing-acrobatics-when-it/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [The heart does not have a brain, but thank God the brain does not have a heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuragh/the-heart-does-not-have-a-brain-but-thank-god-the-brain-does-not-have/) AnuragH > [I recently read that it's the left brain that does all that calculating, and the right brain that does the poetry. Somehow I've veered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-recently-read-that-it-s-the-left-brain-that-does-all-that/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [What the brain does by itself is infinitely more fascinating and complex than any response it can make to chemical stimulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/what-the-brain-does-by-itself-is-infinitely-more-fascinating-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More by Meredith Duran > [“No, thank you. I prefer my liquor cold.' 'Right. Or in a pipe, I suppose.' Phin's brow lifted. 'What a clumsy way to drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/no-thank-you-i-prefer-my-liquor-cold-right-or-in-a-pipe-i-suppose/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Miss Masters was not content with threatening to hire away his staff, oh no. First, she had to perfume it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/miss-masters-was-not-content-with-threatening-to-hire-away-his-staff/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Her face turned to the window, and he saw her swallow. She was not as calm as she appeared, but for some reason, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/her-face-turned-to-the-window-and-he-saw-her-swallow-she-was-not-as/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“the kiss he gave her when he pulled her head down was slow and deep, a leisurely address that reached into her like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-kiss-he-gave-her-when-he-pulled-her-head-down-was-slow-and-deep-a/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“She had told the truth: she did not like to dance. Men assumed that a spinster wanted for excitement. Dried-up. They made a point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/she-had-told-the-truth-she-did-not-like-to-dance-men-assumed-that-a/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Yours if you want it." - Julian to Emma.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/yours-if-you-want-it-julian-to-emma/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Here was a new lesson for her, then: it was possible to behave like an utter goose in front of a man, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/here-was-a-new-lesson-for-her-then-it-was-possible-to-behave-like-an/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“She wished he could make her somehow indelibly his; that they were still children so they could cut their fingers and mingle their blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/she-wished-he-could-make-her-somehow-indelibly-his-that-they-were/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Fear cripples our minds and breeds delusions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/fear-cripples-our-minds-and-breeds-delusions/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Surely this is what death would be like: nothingness, oblivion, as the world continued to turn, heedless of her absence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/surely-this-is-what-death-would-be-like-nothingness-oblivion-as-the/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“The cat's tail was straying into her face again; she was forced to expel air in a most unbecoming fashion to avoid a mouthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-cat-s-tail-was-straying-into-her-face-again-she-was-forced-to/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Speak plainly, sir.' '\*Sir\*? I say, Lyd. Are you always so formal with men you've made love with?' The whip of her head caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/speak-plainly-sir-sir-i-say-lyd-are-you-always-so-formal-with-men-you/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“The flesh was weak, but it was not dumb. It had its own animal intelligence. In her husband's bed her body had felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-flesh-was-weak-but-it-was-not-dumb-it-had-its-own-animal/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“After a long moment, the Countess sat back down. "So," she said. "You … do love her. I must say, you look peculiarly resigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/after-a-long-moment-the-countess-sat-back-down-so-she-said-you-do/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“His arms banded about her so tightly that she felt nothing could break his hold. It calmed something in her that had been trembling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/his-arms-banded-about-her-so-tightly-that-she-felt-nothing-could/) [meredith duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) [Explore all 143 Meredith Duran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well as one might wish- else all men would be saints and hell would be empty of lechers.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Meredith Duran" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-the-body-as-well-as-one-might/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-the-body-as-well-as-one-might/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/meredith-duran-2968_brain_i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-t_2747200.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I admit, that the brain does not govern the body as well as one might wish- else all men would be saints and…” — Meredith Duran", "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": "Meredith Duran", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I admit, that the brain does...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-the-body-as-well-as-one-might/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/i-admit-that-the-brain-does-not-govern-the-body-as-well-as-one-might/#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 } } ] } ```