Defined Quote by Oliver Goldsmith
“Logicians have but ill defined As rational the human mind; Reason, they say, belongs to man, But let them prove it if they can.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Nature of Reason, 1760
Human rationality is claimed to be unique, yet its definition is vague; challenge the claim with rigorous proof.
In simple terms: Reason is said to be human, but it's poorly defined; prove it.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about human rationality.
Themes
philosophy
logic
human nature
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- Academic debate
- education
- AI reasoning
- ethical decision‑making
Key Concepts
Epistemology
critical thinking
metaphysics
Questions to Reflect On
- Can reason be proven exclusive to humans?
- What evidence supports or refutes this?
A Different Perspective
Reason may be more distributed than assumed, limiting the claim.
![“[T]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by means of volcanoes, those burning mountains that seem to discharge their materials from the lowest abysses of the earth.” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b7d/oliver-goldsmith-772_abyss_t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles_88121.jpg)
![“The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a [person] postulates as being a greater totality than [oneself] can become a symbol of the self. For this reason the symbol of the self is not always as total as the definition would require.” quote by Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/251/carl-jung-274_defined_the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-t_7148.jpg)
