--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man alone, during his brief existence on…" description: "\"Man alone, during his brief existence on this earth, is free to examine, to know, to criticize, and to create. In this freedom lies his superiority ove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/ruth-nanda-anshen-59139_artificial_man-alone-during-his-brief-existence-on_93135.jpg" --- # Man alone, during his brief existence on this earth, is… ![“Man alone, during his brief existence on this earth, is free to examine, to know, to criticize, and to create. In this freedom lies his superiority over the forces that pervade his outward life. He is that unique organism in terms of matter and energy, space and time, which is urged to conscious…” quote by Ruth Nanda Anshen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/ruth-nanda-anshen-59139_artificial_man-alone-during-his-brief-existence-on_93135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/ruth-nanda-anshen-59139_artificial_man-alone-during-his-brief-existence-on_93135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/ruth-nanda-anshen-59139_artificial_man-alone-during-his-brief-existence-on_93135.jpg) > “Man alone, during his brief existence on this earth, is free to examine, to know, to criticize, and to create. In this freedom lies his superiority over the forces that pervade his outward life. He is that unique organism in terms of matter and energy, space and time, which is urged to conscious purpose. Reason is his characteristic and indistinguishing principle. But man is only man -- and free -- when he considers himself as a total being in whom the unmediated whole of feeling and thought is not severed and who impugns any form of atomization as artificial, mischievous, and predatory.” [Ruth Nanda Anshen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-nanda-anshen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human freedom lies in integrating feeling and thought, resisting reductionist views that fragment our wholeness. **In simple terms:** Holistic freedom beats atomization. Key Takeaway Whole-self integration is superior. Themes freedom holism reason creativity human nature Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - creative work - self‑reflection - education Key Concepts philosophy of self existentialism Practical Applications - personal development - critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be a 'total being'? - How does atomization limit human potential? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Matter and energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-and-energy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Organisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisms/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-and-time/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) ## Related quotes > [Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/adversity-is-the-trial-of-principle-without-it-a-man-hardly-knows/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“On principle' a man can do anything, take part in anything and himself remain inhuman and indeterminate. 'On principle' a man may interest himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/on-principle-a-man-can-do-anything-take-part-in-anything-and-himself/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [Now the soul of man is divided into two parts, one of which has a rational principle in itself, and the other, not having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/now-the-soul-of-man-is-divided-into-two-parts-one-of-which-has-a/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is much easier to ruin a man of principle than a man of none, for he may be ruined through his scruples. 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Where is the value of principle if a man refuses to place his faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-scarrow/i-did-not-act-from-logic-sire-but-pinciple-where-is-the-value-of/) [Simon Scarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-scarrow/) > [“At present we have no clear grasp of the principle that every man should do the work for which he is fitted by nature!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/at-present-we-have-no-clear-grasp-of-the-principle-that-every-man/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/it-is-no-easy-thing-for-a-principle-to-become-a-man-s-own-unless-each/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [I consider myself to be a man of principle. But, what man does not? 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I do not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/religion-is-simply-an-ideal-it-is-an-ideal-force-that-tends-to-free/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [In the beginning, in the time that was no time, nothing existed but the Womb. And the Womb was a limitless dark cauldron of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-g-walker/in-the-beginning-in-the-time-that-was-no-time-nothing-existed-but-the/) [Barbara G. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-g-walker/) ## More by Ruth Nanda Anshen > [Knowledge is a process, not a product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-nanda-anshen/knowledge-is-a-process-not-a-product/) [Ruth Nanda Anshen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-nanda-anshen/) > [Information is not synonymous with knowledge. Information is only data, parts of the whole. 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