--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wherefore a man can know nothing by…" description: "\"Wherefore a man can know nothing by himself, save after a natural manner, which is only that which he attains by means of the senses. For this cause he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/st-john-of-the-cross-27673_knowledge_wherefore-a-man-can-know-nothing-by-hims_1890123.jpg" --- # Wherefore a man can know nothing by himself, save after a… ![“Wherefore a man can know nothing by himself, save after a natural manner, which is only that which he attains by means of the senses. For this cause he must have the phantasms and the forms of objects present in themselves and in their likenesses; otherwise it cannot be, for, as philosophers say…” quote by St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/st-john-of-the-cross-27673_knowledge_wherefore-a-man-can-know-nothing-by-hims_1890123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/st-john-of-the-cross-27673_knowledge_wherefore-a-man-can-know-nothing-by-hims_1890123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/st-john-of-the-cross-27673_knowledge_wherefore-a-man-can-know-nothing-by-hims_1890123.jpg) > “Wherefore a man can know nothing by himself, save after a natural manner, which is only that which he attains by means of the senses. For this cause he must have the phantasms and the forms of objects present in themselves and in their likenesses; otherwise it cannot be, for, as philosophers say: Ab objecto et potentia paritur notitia. That is: From the object that is present and from the faculty, knowledge is born in the soul. Wherefore, if one should speak to a man of things which he has never been able to understand, and whose likeness he has never seen, he would have no more illumination from them whatever than if naught had been said of them to him.” [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge arises only when sensory experience provides mental images; without such likenesses, words cannot illuminate understanding. **In simple terms:** We learn through senses and mental images. Key Takeaway Provide concrete examples to teach abstract ideas. Themes epistemology perception education Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - teaching - learning - communication - philosophical discourse Key Concepts sensory experience mental representation knowledge formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you make an unfamiliar idea tangible? - What senses can you engage to convey meaning? 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All around one sees the mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fourier/the-philosophers-say-that-the-passions-are-too-lively-too-fiery-in/) [Charles Fourier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fourier/) > [The great artist when he comes, uses everything that has been discovered or known about his art up to that point, being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-great-artist-when-he-comes-uses-everything-that-has-been/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Poetic knowledge is born in the great silence of scientific knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aime-cesaire/poetic-knowledge-is-born-in-the-great-silence-of-scientific-knowledge/) [Aime Cesaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aime-cesaire/) > [“We don't know ourselves, we knowledgeable people—we are personally ignorant about ourselves. And there's good reason for that. 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Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-m-loeb/) > [“It is perfectly true, as philosophers say, that life must be understood backwards. But they forget the other proposition, that it must be lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-is-perfectly-true-as-philosophers-say-that-life-must-be-understood/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More by St John Of The Cross > [One human thought alone is worth more than the entire world, hence God alone is worthy of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/one-human-thought-alone-is-worth-more-than-the-entire-world-hence-god/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [Although you perform many works, if you do not deny your will and submit yourself, losing all solicitude about yourself and your affairs, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/although-you-perform-many-works-if-you-do-not-deny-your-will-and/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [“There is nothing better or more necessary than love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/there-is-nothing-better-or-more-necessary-than-love/) [St John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [“Kad bi duša htjela gledati i istraživati božanske stvari,ostala bi zablještena više negoli onaj koji izravno promatra prejak sjaj sunca.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/kad-bi-du-a-htjela-gledati-i-istra-ivati-bo-anske-stvari-ostala-bi/) [St John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [The soul that desires God to surrender himself to it entirely must surrender itself entirely to him without keeping anything for itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/the-soul-that-desires-god-to-surrender-himself-to-it-entirely-must/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [“Nisu stvari ovog svjeta te koje gospodare dušom i uništavaju je,jer one u nju ne ulaze,nego želja i čežnja za njima koje u njoj…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/nisu-stvari-ovog-svjeta-te-koje-gospodare-du-om-i-uni-tavaju-je-jer/) [St John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [The very pure spirit does not bother about the regard of others or human respect, but communes inwardly with God, alone and in solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/the-very-pure-spirit-does-not-bother-about-the-regard-of-others-or/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/in-the-evening-of-life-we-will-be-judged-on-love-alone/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [If you wish to attain holy recollection, you will do so not by receiving but by denying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/if-you-wish-to-attain-holy-recollection-you-will-do-so-not-by/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it; reflect that all must come to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/strive-to-preserve-your-heart-in-peace-let-no-event-of-this-world/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [The soul that is attached to anything however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/the-soul-that-is-attached-to-anything-however-much-good-there-may-be/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [Whoever flees prayer flees all that is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/whoever-flees-prayer-flees-all-that-is-good/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look on its greatness, but the greatness of its humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/to-be-taken-with-love-for-a-soul-god-does-not-look-on-its-greatness/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [Not all the faculties and senses have to be employed in things, but only those that are required; as for the others, leave them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-the-cross/not-all-the-faculties-and-senses-have-to-be-employed-in-things-but/) [St John Of The Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-the-cross/) > [Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. 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For this cause he must have the phantasms and the forms of objects present in themselves and in their likenesses; otherwise it cannot be, for, as philosophers say: Ab objecto et potentia paritur notitia. That is: From the object that is present and from the faculty, knowledge is born in the soul. 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