--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have said that the modern man, and…" description: "\"I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern American, however much 'know-how' he may have, has very little 'know-what'\" — Norbert Wiener" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg" --- # I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern… ![“I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern American, however much 'know-how' he may have, has very little 'know-what'” quote by Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg) > “I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern American, however much 'know-how' he may have, has very little 'know-what'” [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Technical expertise alone is insufficient without understanding its purpose and impact. **In simple terms:** Know‑how isn’t enough; need know‑what. Key Takeaway Seek purpose behind knowledge. Themes technology knowledge purpose ethics Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - engineering projects - policy design - education - AI development Key Concepts systems theory human‑machine interaction decision making Questions to Reflect On - What purpose does your expertise serve? - How do you align knowledge with values? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on skill can ignore ethical implications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) ## Related quotes > [“This," I said, "is a modern, nontraditional representation of Quan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-harmon/this-i-said-is-a-modern-nontraditional-representation-of-quan-yin-the/) [Marion G. Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-harmon/) > [And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men who died, who gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/and-i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-where-at-least-i-know-i-m-free-and-i-2/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [If you're an American and you are, you know, subscribing to the ideals and the creed and the values that we believe in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-re-an-american-and-you-are-you-know-subscribing-to-the-ideals/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know Im free. And I wont forget the men who died, who gave that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-where-at-least-i-know-im-free-and-i-wont/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all allowed to support whoever we'd like to in this country. That's the greatest part about being an American - one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/we-are-all-allowed-to-support-whoever-we-d-like-to-in-this-country/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/i-m-proud-to-be-an-american-where-at-least-i-know-i-m-free/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [Because I'm an American, I know there's all sorts of international folks who would gladly kidnap and behead me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/because-i-m-an-american-i-know-there-s-all-sorts-of-international/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Nosferatu is the daddy of modern American sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/nosferatu-is-the-daddy-of-modern-american-sex/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) > [To be an Indian in modern American society is in a very real sense to be unreal and ahistorical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vine-deloria-jr/to-be-an-indian-in-modern-american-society-is-in-a-very-real-sense-to/) [Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vine-deloria-jr/) > [One of my favorite modern American authors is Denis Johnson. I'm deeply inspired by all of his work - I rip him off constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/one-of-my-favorite-modern-american-authors-is-denis-johnson-i-m/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Someone has described the modern American as a person who drives a bank financed car over a bond financed highway on credit card gas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-billheimer/someone-has-described-the-modern-american-as-a-person-who-drives-a/) [Paul Billheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-billheimer/) > [Modern American cinema seems to me superficial. The intention is to understand a certain reality, and the result is nothing but a photographing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-puig/modern-american-cinema-seems-to-me-superficial-the-intention-is-to/) [Manuel Puig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-puig/) > [Eight Hours For What We Will is a major contribution to modern American working-class history and to the history of a changing American popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-gutman/eight-hours-for-what-we-will-is-a-major-contribution-to-modern/) Herbert Gutman > [“All of this causes me to get a bit antsy before any major election. Why? Because the modern American election is an open invitation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/all-of-this-causes-me-to-get-a-bit-antsy-before-any-major-election/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [What I'm interested in is modern American history. I'm taken with the changes that have occurred in America in my lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/what-i-m-interested-in-is-modern-american-history-i-m-taken-with-the/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) ## More by Norbert Wiener > [It is possible to believe in progress as a fact without believing in progress as an ethical principle; but in the catechism of many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/it-is-possible-to-believe-in-progress-as-a-fact-without-believing-in/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [“What I have said about the newspapers and the movies applies equally to the radio, to television, and even to bookselling. Thus we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/what-i-have-said-about-the-newspapers-and-the-movies-applies-equally/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [A faith which we follow upon orders imposed from outside is no faith, and a community which puts its dependence upon such a pseudo-faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/a-faith-which-we-follow-upon-orders-imposed-from-outside-is-no-faith/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [Information is information; it is neither matter nor energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/information-is-information-it-is-neither-matter-nor-energy/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [the science of control and communication in the animal and the machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/the-science-of-control-and-communication-in-the-animal-and-the-machine/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [The sense of tragedy is that the world is not a pleasant little nest made for our protection, but a vast and largely hostile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/the-sense-of-tragedy-is-that-the-world-is-not-a-pleasant-little-nest/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [The idea that information can be stored in a changing world without an overwhelming depreciation of its value is false. It is scarcely less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/the-idea-that-information-can-be-stored-in-a-changing-world-without/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [The automatic machine, whatever we thinkof any feelings it may or may not have, is the precise economic equivalent of the slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/the-automatic-machine-whatever-we-thinkof-any-feelings-it-may-or-may/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [Science is better paid than at any time in the past. The results of this pay have been to attract into science many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/science-is-better-paid-than-at-any-time-in-the-past-the-results-of/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [“A proof represents a logical process which has come to a definitive conclusion in a finite number of stages. However, a logical machine following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/a-proof-represents-a-logical-process-which-has-come-to-a-definitive/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [Science is a way of life which can only flourish when men are free to have faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/science-is-a-way-of-life-which-can-only-flourish-when-men-are-free-to/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [Any use of a human being in which less is demanded of him and less is attributed to him than his full status is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/any-use-of-a-human-being-in-which-less-is-demanded-of-him-and-less-is/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [I have said that science is impossible without faith. ... Inductive logic, the logic of Bacon, is rather something on which we can act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/i-have-said-that-science-is-impossible-without-faith-inductive-logic/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [The nervous system and the automatic machine are fundamentally alike in that they are devices, which make decisions on the basis of decisions they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/the-nervous-system-and-the-automatic-machine-are-fundamentally-alike/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [A significant idea of organization cannot be obtained in a world in which everything is necessary and nothing is contingent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/a-significant-idea-of-organization-cannot-be-obtained-in-a-world-in/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) [Explore all 57 Norbert Wiener quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) ## More Know how quotes > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't know how everybody else feels, but I just long for reality rather than these made-up things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-don-t-know-how-everybody-else-feels-but-i-just-long-for-reality/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I know how important it is to have people who believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-know-how-important-it-is-to-have-people-who-believe-in-you-even/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I think the greatest imagination we can exercise is one that imagines how someone else feels. Because you know how you feel, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-think-the-greatest-imagination-we-can-exercise-is-one-that-imagines/) [Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/) > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/there-is-one-and-only-one-solution-and-we-have-almost-no-time-to-try/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [You are terrifying, and strange, and beautiful. Something not everyone knows how to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/you-are-terrifying-and-strange-and-beautiful-something-not-everyone/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Everyone in Life does Exactly what they Know How to Do Given the Conditions of their Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/everyone-in-life-does-exactly-what-they-know-how-to-do-given-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I used to believe the purpose in life is to find happiness. I don’t believe that anymore. I believe we are all given gifts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/i-used-to-believe-the-purpose-in-life-is-to-find-happiness-i-don-t/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [Tom Stafford was an odd character, you know - a brilliant guy. He looked weird and I think he took a really defensive attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-fritts/tom-stafford-was-an-odd-character-you-know-a-brilliant-guy-he-looked/) [Donnie Fritts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-fritts/) Browse all 3,830 Know how quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern American, however much 'know-how' he may have, has very little 'know-what'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norbert Wiener" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-especially-the-modern-american/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Know how" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-especially-the-modern-american/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/norbert-wiener-11835_know-how_i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-espe_2590782.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have said that the modern man, and especially the modern American, however much 'know-how' he may have…” — Norbert Wiener", "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": "Norbert Wiener", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have said that the modern...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-especially-the-modern-american/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/i-have-said-that-the-modern-man-and-especially-the-modern-american/#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 } } ] } ```