--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this distribution of functions, the…" description: "\"In this distribution of functions, the scholar is the delegated intellect. In the right state, he is, Man Thinking. In the degenerate state, when the v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f58/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_degenerates_in-this-distribution-of-functions-the-sc_2822291.png" --- # In this distribution of functions, the scholar is the… ![“In this distribution of functions, the scholar is the delegated intellect. In the right state, he is, Man Thinking. In the degenerate state, when the victim of society, he tends to become a mere thinker, or, still worse, the parrot of other men's thinking.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f58/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_degenerates_in-this-distribution-of-functions-the-sc_2822291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f58/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_degenerates_in-this-distribution-of-functions-the-sc_2822291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f58/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_degenerates_in-this-distribution-of-functions-the-sc_2822291.png) > “In this distribution of functions, the scholar is the delegated intellect. In the right state, he is, Man Thinking. In the degenerate state, when the victim of society, he tends to become a mere thinker, or, still worse, the parrot of other men's thinking.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intellectual independence requires active thinking, not mere repetition of others' ideas. **In simple terms:** Think for yourself, don’t just repeat. Key Takeaway Cultivate original thought. Themes education individualism intellectual freedom critical thinking Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Academic research - public discourse - creative work - policy analysis Key Concepts autonomy originality intellectual integrity Questions to Reflect On - What habits encourage original thinking? - How do we recognize intellectual conformity? A Different Perspective Societal pressure can suppress independent thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Scholar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholar/) [Thinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinker/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. 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And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [People who've been through our educational system, they think they're thinking, when they're just repeating like parrots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/people-who-ve-been-through-our-educational-system-they-think-they-re/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Degenerates quotes > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. 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Our ancestors did great things in the past, but we have to grow into a fuller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-have-either-to-progress-or-to-degenerate-our-ancestors-did-great/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [By consequence I hold that no one ever did, or can do, anything for "society."... Comte invented the term altruism as an antonym for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/by-consequence-i-hold-that-no-one-ever-did-or-can-do-anything-for/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Human nature being what it is, peace must inevitably be a relative condition. 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