--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as our eyes need light in order to…" description: "\"Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to create.\" — Nicolas Malebranche" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png" --- # Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds… ![“Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to create.” quote by Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png) > “Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to create.” [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas illuminate the mind like light illuminates the eyes, enabling creation and understanding. **In simple terms:** Ideas are mental light. Key Takeaway Seek new ideas. Themes creativity knowledge illumination Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - problem solving - artistic creation - learning environments Key Concepts epistemology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn ideas into tangible results? - What blocks your mental illumination? A Different Perspective Ideas alone may not be enough without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Eyes Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-need-1324952/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-need-837084/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Need Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-light/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Temporary defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary-defeat/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) ## Related quotes > [Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to conceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to-see-our-minds-need-ideas-in-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As we explore new ways of loving and being loved by others, we need to equip ourselves with open, pliant minds; we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/as-we-explore-new-ways-of-loving-and-being-loved-by-others-we-need-to/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“Do you know what I believe, Miss Whittaker? Regarding your question on the origins of human compassion and self-sacrifice? I believe that evolution explains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/do-you-know-what-i-believe-miss-whittaker-regarding-your-question-on/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Law 9: Be unfuckwithable. Extraordinary minds do not need to seek validation from outside opinion or through the attainment of goals. Instead, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/law-9-be-unfuckwithable-extraordinary-minds-do-not-need-to-seek/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [To change the limitations of our personal pasts, our minds need a reason to change what we believe-and a good one at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-braden/to-change-the-limitations-of-our-personal-pasts-our-minds-need-a/) [Gregg Braden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-braden/) > [Our minds need relaxation, and give way unless we mix with work a little play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/our-minds-need-relaxation-and-give-way-unless-we-mix-with-work-a/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Being nimble and ready to change our minds if need be is an attribute that is crucial to live and thrive in a society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamvada-natarajan/being-nimble-and-ready-to-change-our-minds-if-need-be-is-an-attribute/) [Priyamvada Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamvada-natarajan/) > [Our bodies, speeches and minds need to be trained so that they will do anything we want. We can cry or laugh at once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ching-hai/our-bodies-speeches-and-minds-need-to-be-trained-so-that-they-will-do/) [Ching Hai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ching-hai/) > [The richest minds need not large libraries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/the-richest-minds-need-not-large-libraries/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [The man who can put himself in the place of other men, who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/the-man-who-can-put-himself-in-the-place-of-other-men-who-can/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [“People who can put themselves in the place of other people, who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/people-who-can-put-themselves-in-the-place-of-other-people-who-can/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“Ideas give life meaning. Our minds need ideas the way our bodies need food. We are starved for visions, hungry for understanding. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ideas-give-life-meaning-our-minds-need-ideas-the-way-our-bodies-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, our eyes need to be washed by our tears so that we can see life with a clearer view again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareen-gayoso/sometimes-our-eyes-need-to-be-washed-by-our-tears-so-that-we-can-see/) [Kareen Gayoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareen-gayoso/) > [Perhaps our eyes need to be washed with our tears once in a while, so we can see life with a clear view again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perhaps-our-eyes-need-to-be-washed-with-our-tears-once-in-a-while-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I talk to the audience, look into their eyes. I need them and they need me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/i-talk-to-the-audience-look-into-their-eyes-i-need-them-and-they-need/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) ## More by Nicolas Malebranche > [I am not my own light unto myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/i-am-not-my-own-light-unto-myself/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [I am unable, when I turn to myself, to recognize any of my faculties or my capacities. The inner sensation which I have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/i-am-unable-when-i-turn-to-myself-to-recognize-any-of-my-faculties-or/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [We see things in this material world, wherein our bodies dwell, only because our mind through its attention lives in another world, only because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/we-see-things-in-this-material-world-wherein-our-bodies-dwell-only/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [In this connection, faith and experience teach us many truths by means of the short-cut of authority and by the proofs of very pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/in-this-connection-faith-and-experience-teach-us-many-truths-by-means/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [All creatures are united to God alone in an immediate union. They depend essentially and directly upon Him. Being all alike equally impotent, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/all-creatures-are-united-to-god-alone-in-an-immediate-union-they/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [He has willed - He wills incessantly - that the modifications of the mind and those of the body shall be reciprocal. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/he-has-willed-he-wills-incessantly-that-the-modifications-of-the-mind/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [Our soul is not united to our body in the ordinary sense of these terms. It is immediately and directly united to God alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/our-soul-is-not-united-to-our-body-in-the-ordinary-sense-of-these/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [God joins us together by means of the body, in consequence of the laws of the communication of movements. He affects us with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/god-joins-us-together-by-means-of-the-body-in-consequence-of-the-laws/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [Imagination is the mad boarder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/imagination-is-the-mad-boarder/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [Do not fear lest you should meditate too much upon Him and speak of Him in an unworthy way, providing you are led by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/do-not-fear-lest-you-should-meditate-too-much-upon-him-and-speak-of/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [You cannot of yourself move your arm or alter your position, situation, posture, do to other men good or evil, or effect the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/you-cannot-of-yourself-move-your-arm-or-alter-your-position-situation/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [Prejudices are not easily got rid of as an old coat which is no longer thought of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/prejudices-are-not-easily-got-rid-of-as-an-old-coat-which-is-no/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [We are rational creatures: Our virtue and perfection is to love reason, or rather to love order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/we-are-rational-creatures-our-virtue-and-perfection-is-to-love-reason/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [I love good and pleasure, I hate evil and pain, I want to be happy and I am not mistaken in believing, that people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/i-love-good-and-pleasure-i-hate-evil-and-pain-i-want-to-be-happy-and/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) > [I beg of you always to dwell upon the necessity of a thorough understanding of principles, in order to stop the vivacity of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/i-beg-of-you-always-to-dwell-upon-the-necessity-of-a-thorough/) [Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) [Explore all 26 Nicolas Malebranche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to create.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicolas Malebranche" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to-see-our-minds-need-ideas-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to-see-our-minds-need-ideas-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5f/nicolas-malebranche-23473_art_just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to_1468718.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just as our eyes need light in order to see, our minds need ideas in order to create.” — Nicolas Malebranche", "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": "Nicolas Malebranche", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Just as our eyes need light...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to-see-our-minds-need-ideas-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/just-as-our-eyes-need-light-in-order-to-see-our-minds-need-ideas-in/#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 } } ] } ```