--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human intellect is the great…" description: "\"The human intellect is the great truth-organ; realities, as they exist, are the subjects of its study; and knowledge is the result of its acquaintance ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/moses-harvey-44292_acquaintance_the-human-intellect-is-the-great-truth-o_2086925.jpg" --- # The human intellect is the great truth-organ; realities… ![“The human intellect is the great truth-organ; realities, as they exist, are the subjects of its study; and knowledge is the result of its acquaintance with the things which it investigates.” quote by Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/moses-harvey-44292_acquaintance_the-human-intellect-is-the-great-truth-o_2086925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/moses-harvey-44292_acquaintance_the-human-intellect-is-the-great-truth-o_2086925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/moses-harvey-44292_acquaintance_the-human-intellect-is-the-great-truth-o_2086925.jpg) > “The human intellect is the great truth-organ; realities, as they exist, are the subjects of its study; and knowledge is the result of its acquaintance with the things which it investigates.” [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human intellect organizes reality, studying it to produce knowledge through direct acquaintance with investigated things. **In simple terms:** The mind studies reality to create knowledge. Key Takeaway Engage directly with subjects to learn. Themes knowledge reality intellect Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - research - critical thinking - field work Key Concepts epistemology philosophy scientific method Questions to Reflect On - What limits our understanding of reality? - How do biases affect knowledge? A Different Perspective Complex realities may resist simple categorization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Human Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-intellect/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Intellect Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect-great-3144295/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Organs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organs/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Study Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-knowledge-2656468/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) ## Related quotes > [The education of the intellect is a great business; but an unconsecd intellect is the saddest sight on which the sun looks down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-chadwick/the-education-of-the-intellect-is-a-great-business-but-an-unconsecd/) [Edwin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-chadwick/) > [Knowledge of the Absolute depends upon no book, nor upon anything; it is absolute in itself. No amount of study will give this knowledge;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/knowledge-of-the-absolute-depends-upon-no-book-nor-upon-anything-it/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Study nothing except in the knowledge that you already knew it. Worship nothing except in adoration of your true self. And fear nothing except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/study-nothing-except-in-the-knowledge-that-you-already-knew-it/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/character-is-higher-than-intellect-a-great-soul-will-be-strong-to-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Epistemology is the study of knowledge. By what conduit do we know what we know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-bikel/epistemology-is-the-study-of-knowledge-by-what-conduit-do-we-know/) [Theodore Bikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-bikel/) > [Works of the intellect are great only by comparison with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/works-of-the-intellect-are-great-only-by-comparison-with-each-other/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Character is higher than intellect... A great soul will be strong to live, as well as strong to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/character-is-higher-than-intellect-a-great-soul-will-be-strong-to/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Forasmuch as many people study more to have knowledge than to live well therefore ofttimes they err and bring forth little fruit or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/forasmuch-as-many-people-study-more-to-have-knowledge-than-to-live/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Only when the heart loves can the intellect do great work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newell-dwight-hillis/only-when-the-heart-loves-can-the-intellect-do-great-work/) [Newell Dwight Hillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newell-dwight-hillis/) > [Zen is all about self-study/knowledge and self-help!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/zen-is-all-about-self-study-knowledge-and-self-help/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [If a man will comprehend the richness and variety of the universe, and inspire his mind with a due measure of wonder and awe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/if-a-man-will-comprehend-the-richness-and-variety-of-the-universe-and/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [Angels are able to know and understand better than the human intellect can, precisely because such knowledge and understanding comes to them by way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/angels-are-able-to-know-and-understand-better-than-the-human/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [Does the human intellect, or "reason," really spring us free from our inherence in the depths of this wild proliferation of forms? Or on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/does-the-human-intellect-or-reason-really-spring-us-free-from-our/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [How infinitely happier and more grateful is the whole personality or spirit when it finds something nourishing in art or writing or thinking, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/how-infinitely-happier-and-more-grateful-is-the-whole-personality-or/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) ## More by Moses Harvey > [Science is teaching man to know and reverence truth, and to believe that only so far as he knows and loves it can he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/science-is-teaching-man-to-know-and-reverence-truth-and-to-believe/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [The gifts of genius are far greater than the givers themselves venture to suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/the-gifts-of-genius-are-far-greater-than-the-givers-themselves/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [We hail science as man's truest friend and noblest helper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/we-hail-science-as-man-s-truest-friend-and-noblest-helper/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [Genuine wit implies no small amount of wisdom and culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/genuine-wit-implies-no-small-amount-of-wisdom-and-culture/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [In solitude all great things are born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/in-solitude-all-great-things-are-born/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [Genuine and innocent wit is surely the very flavor of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/genuine-and-innocent-wit-is-surely-the-very-flavor-of-the-mind/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [Heaven alone, not earth, is destined to witness the repose of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/heaven-alone-not-earth-is-destined-to-witness-the-repose-of-faith/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) > [Life is the offspring of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-harvey/life-is-the-offspring-of-death/) [Moses Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) [Explore all 9 Moses Harvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-harvey/) ## More Acquaintance quotes > [Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distrust-all-those-who-love-you-extremely-upon-a-very-slight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. 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