--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To obey is the proper office of a…" description: "\"“To obey is the proper office of a rational soul.”\" — Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg" --- # To obey is the proper office of a rational soul. ![“To obey is the proper office of a rational soul.” quote by Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg) > ““To obey is the proper office of a rational soul.”” [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A rational soul must follow obedience as its proper function. **In simple terms:** Reasonable people should obey. Key Takeaway Follow reasoned duties. Themes philosophy reason obedience ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - law - family - education - workplace Key Concepts rationalism moral duty Questions to Reflect On - When is obedience harmful? - How to balance obedience and autonomy? A Different Perspective Blind obedience may suppress critical thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) [Obey Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey-proper-4506577/) [Office Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office-rational-4506578/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-soul-261571/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“The self-conscious feedback mechanism of the cortex allows us the hallucination that we are two souls in one body -a rational soul and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-self-conscious-feedback-mechanism-of-the-cortex-allows-us-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [If the transmigration of a soul takes place into a rational being, it simply becomes the soul of that body. But if the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/if-the-transmigration-of-a-soul-takes-place-into-a-rational-being-it/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [But it is the knowledge of necessary and eternal truths which distinguishes us from mere animals, and gives us reason and the sciences, raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/but-it-is-the-knowledge-of-necessary-and-eternal-truths-which/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [Just as a mirror, which reflects all things, is set in its own container, so too the rational soul is placed in the fragile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/just-as-a-mirror-which-reflects-all-things-is-set-in-its-own/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [“When the man, by means if 'ibadat, succeeded in curbing his animal and canal passions and has thereby rendered submissive his animal soul,making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-muhammad-naquib-al-attas/when-the-man-by-means-if-ibadat-succeeded-in-curbing-his-animal-and/) [Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-muhammad-naquib-al-attas/) > [No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-obstacles-are-insurmountable-when-god-commands-and-we-obey/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [“I could insist that somebody take me to her so I can obey her orders." "I think you might choke on that one, Zakath,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/i-could-insist-that-somebody-take-me-to-her-so-i-can-obey-her-orders/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“It’s not the room that commands obedience. It’s not the props, or the décor. It’s not the fear of any piece of equipment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-luke/it-s-not-the-room-that-commands-obedience-it-s-not-the-props-or-the-d/) [Jason Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-luke/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“God uses one whom others would have passed over without a second glance. The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [“9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9but-if-you-return-to-me-and-obey-my-commands-then-even-if-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More by Montaigne > [My true memory has been tainted by old home videos of my sister and I, ages 3 and 5 respectively, singing karaoke to Britney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-true-memory-has-been-tainted-by-old-home-videos-of-my-sister-and-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [Dad is a skilled athlete and runs his own football school for kids. While football is his entire life and he encouraged us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/dad-is-a-skilled-athlete-and-runs-his-own-football-school-for-kids/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [My dad played in the National Soccer League in Australia and also played football in Malaysia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-dad-played-in-the-national-soccer-league-in-australia-and-also/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“People try to get out of themselves and to escape from the man. This is folly; instead of transforming themselves into angels, they turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/people-try-to-get-out-of-themselves-and-to-escape-from-the-man-this/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“How many things were articles of faith to us yesterday that are fables to us today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/how-many-things-were-articles-of-faith-to-us-yesterday-that-are/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I went to all of Dad's football games. As I got older, I got involved. He taught me everything I know about playing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-went-to-all-of-dad-s-football-games-as-i-got-older-i-got-involved/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [All of us feel, I think, that our experiences can be the worst possible thing you can go through and that we're alone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/all-of-us-feel-i-think-that-our-experiences-can-be-the-worst-possible/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“Cada cual llama barbarie a lo que no forma parte de su costumbre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/cada-cual-llama-barbarie-a-lo-que-no-forma-parte-de-su-costumbre/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“We need but little learning to live happily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/we-need-but-little-learning-to-live-happily/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“If any one should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I feel it could no otherwise be expressed than by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/if-any-one-should-importune-me-to-give-a-reason-why-i-loved-him-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I understand that all the songs I write are quite melodramatic and are quite extreme from my perspective, but that's how life feels to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-understand-that-all-the-songs-i-write-are-quite-melodramatic-and/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I started writing - just generally - when I was 10, there, and started writing songs when I was maybe 11 turning 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-started-writing-just-generally-when-i-was-10-there-and-started/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I'd probably do something that involved music, a booking agent or working at a label, if not being an actual musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-d-probably-do-something-that-involved-music-a-booking-agent-or/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“If only talking to oneself did not look mad, no day would go by without my being heard growling to myself. - you silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/if-only-talking-to-oneself-did-not-look-mad-no-day-would-go-by/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I spent my first five years in Canberra then moved to Sydney, where I moved around the Hills District until the age of 18.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-spent-my-first-five-years-in-canberra-then-moved-to-sydney-where-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) [Explore all 34 Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) ## More Obey quotes > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9but-if-you-return-to-me-and-obey-my-commands-then-even-if-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God uses one whom others would have passed over without a second glance. The history of obedience to the Great Commission is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/god-uses-one-whom-others-would-have-passed-over-without-a-second/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“It’s not the room that commands obedience. It’s not the props, or the décor. It’s not the fear of any piece of equipment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-luke/it-s-not-the-room-that-commands-obedience-it-s-not-the-props-or-the-d/) [Jason Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-luke/) > [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“I could insist that somebody take me to her so I can obey her orders." "I think you might choke on that one, Zakath,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/i-could-insist-that-somebody-take-me-to-her-so-i-can-obey-her-orders/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-obstacles-are-insurmountable-when-god-commands-and-we-obey/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Knowledge is not necessary for obedience, nor doth information replace faith. El hast commanded. We shall obey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-m-neal/knowledge-is-not-necessary-for-obedience-nor-doth-information-replace/) [Donovan M. Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-m-neal/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Woman's great mission is to train immature, weak and ignorant creatures to obey the laws of God; the physical, the intellectual, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/woman-s-great-mission-is-to-train-immature-weak-and-ignorant/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) > [All reform aims, in some one particular, to let the soul have its way through us; in other words, to engage us to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/all-reform-aims-in-some-one-particular-to-let-the-soul-have-its-way/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“It is worth asking ourselves: Where am I saying “I can’t” but God is saying “You won’t”? Israel’s failure to obey was based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/it-is-worth-asking-ourselves-where-am-i-saying-i-can-t-but-god-is/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) [Browse all 512 Obey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To obey is the proper office of a rational soul.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-rational-soul/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Obey" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-rational-soul/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d84/montaigne-14818_spirituality_to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-ration_2148417.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To obey is the proper office of a rational soul.” — Montaigne", "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": "Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To obey is the proper office...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-rational-soul/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/to-obey-is-the-proper-office-of-a-rational-soul/#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 } } ] } ```