--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The educated don't get that way by…" description: "\"“The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.”\" — Tom Heehler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg" --- # The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they… ![“The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.” quote by Tom Heehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg) > ““The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.”” Tom Heehler ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education requires respecting facts rather than merely memorizing them, fostering critical thinking and deeper understanding. **In simple terms:** Respect matters more than memorization. Key Takeaway Value facts, respect them. Themes education critical thinking respect learning philosophy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type Critical thinking:1 Educated:0 Education:1 Empiricism:1 Learning:1 Philosophy:1 Rationality:1 Respecting:1 Way Respecting:0 Educated Don:0 Memorizing Facts:0 When to use this quote - classroom teaching - self‑study - research - debate - policy making Key Concepts epistemology respect for knowledge critical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you show respect for knowledge? - What practices deepen understanding beyond memorization? A Different Perspective Memorization alone does not guarantee insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Critical thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-thinking/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Empiricism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empiricism/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) ## Related quotes > [I respect all religions, but I'm not a deeply religious person. But I try and live life in the right way, respecting other people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-respect-all-religions-but-i-m-not-a-deeply-religious-person-but-i/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [Learning is less about memorizing facts and more about the ability to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-k-sonnenberg/learning-is-less-about-memorizing-facts-and-more-about-the-ability-to/) [Frank K. Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-k-sonnenberg/) > [A good dancer is an educated one, so don't abandon school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/a-good-dancer-is-an-educated-one-so-don-t-abandon-school/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [“It is clearly the result, not of carelessness but of matured judgement of our age, which will no longer rest satisfied with the mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/it-is-clearly-the-result-not-of-carelessness-but-of-matured-judgement/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and because firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the case against a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/a-miracle-is-a-violation-of-the-laws-of-nature-and-because-firm-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“Objectivity is a subjective fantasy implanted in us by an external will seeking to curtail our creativity by limiting our minds to our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/objectivity-is-a-subjective-fantasy-implanted-in-us-by-an-external/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [Empiricism in the sciences is a method; naturalism in philosophy is a metaphysics; and the latter neither follows from nor underlies the former.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/empiricism-in-the-sciences-is-a-method-naturalism-in-philosophy-is-a/) [David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/) > [“Such is the strange situation in which modern philosophy finds itself. No former age was ever in such a favourable position with regard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-cassirer/such-is-the-strange-situation-in-which-modern-philosophy-finds-itself/) [Ernst Cassirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-cassirer/) > [“The theories of the social sciences do not consist of “laws” in the sense of empirical rules about the behavior of objects definable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-a-von-hayek/the-theories-of-the-social-sciences-do-not-consist-of-laws-in-the/) Friedrich A. von Hayek > [Only he who finds empiricism irksome is driven to method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/only-he-who-finds-empiricism-irksome-is-driven-to-method/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“There are two kinds of truth in the world, empirical truth and human truth - empirical truth is all about facts, human truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-two-kinds-of-truth-in-the-world-empirical-truth-and-human/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“There is an inexplicable sense of relief in being proven wrong, which perhaps can only be realized by either a scientist or a philosopher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-is-an-inexplicable-sense-of-relief-in-being-proven-wrong-which/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [...mysticism and empiricism go together in opposition to scholasticism...they base themselves on the non-linear world of experience rather than the linear world of letters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/mysticism-and-empiricism-go-together-in-opposition-to-scholasticism/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“David Hume, in a moment of acute skepticism, felt panicky in the solitude of his study and had to go out and join his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/david-hume-in-a-moment-of-acute-skepticism-felt-panicky-in-the/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## More Critical thinking quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One of the chief values reading history, this is the author, is its capacity to "provoke renegade thoughts".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-roberts/one-of-the-chief-values-reading-history-this-is-the-author-is-its/) [Andrew Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-roberts/) > [“Critical thinking is an unavoidable part of growing up. We do not become adults without it. But in the modern world, this stage often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-j-borg/critical-thinking-is-an-unavoidable-part-of-growing-up-we-do-not/) [Marcus J. Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-j-borg/) > [ Simply disabling specific critical thinking skills is all that is necessary for the god virus \[to take control of a person\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrel-ray/simply-disabling-specific-critical-thinking-skills-is-all-that-is/) [Darrel Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrel-ray/) > [“You know, I don't believe that religions are religions. No, I believe they are philosophies with some good ideas and some fuckin' weird ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/you-know-i-don-t-believe-that-religions-are-religions-no-i-believe/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [“critical thinking Scenario 1 Mrs. Hernandez is an 85-yearold female admitted to surgery for insertion of a hip prosthesis to treat a hip fracture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-snyder/critical-thinking-scenario-1-mrs-hernandez-is-an-85-yearold-female/) Katherine Snyder > [We put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/we-put-too-much-of-a-premium-on-presenting-and-not-enough-on/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Capricorns think they know whats best for everyone and their overcritical thinking may sometimes bother the people they love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/capricorns-think-they-know-whats-best-for-everyone-and-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A politician often uses an example or analogy as an attempt to make us forget the question he or she is supposedly answering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-politician-often-uses-an-example-or-analogy-as-an-attempt-to-make/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Educators and psychologists have a mantra these days: No matter how hectic the schedules of your family members may be, make time to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lythcott-haims/educators-and-psychologists-have-a-mantra-these-days-no-matter-how/) [Julie Lythcott-Haims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lythcott-haims/) > [The truth is that family values, as used by the American Family Association, Dan Quayle, and the southern Baptists, has nothing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-sullivan/the-truth-is-that-family-values-as-used-by-the-american-family/) Morris Sullivan > [“You must be able to say, with reasonable certainty, "I understand," before you can say "I agree," or "I disagree," or "I suspend judgment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/you-must-be-able-to-say-with-reasonable-certainty-i-understand-before/) [Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/) > [Not only is true love rare and true rebellion rare, real love is itself a radical form of rebellion - engagement, thinking, and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-tupitsyn/not-only-is-true-love-rare-and-true-rebellion-rare-real-love-is/) [Masha Tupitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-tupitsyn/) > [Faith means the purposeful suspension of critical thinking. It’s nothing to be admired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/faith-means-the-purposeful-suspension-of-critical-thinking-it-s/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/with-school-turning-out-more-runners-jumpers-racers-tinkerers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 321 Critical thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Heehler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-heehler/the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memorizing-facts-they-get-that-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Critical thinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-heehler/the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memorizing-facts-they-get-that-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/068/tom-heehler-283726_critical-thinking_the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memor_328022.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.” — Tom Heehler", "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": "Tom Heehler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-heehler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The educated don't get that way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-heehler/the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memorizing-facts-they-get-that-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-heehler/the-educated-don-t-get-that-way-by-memorizing-facts-they-get-that-way/#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 } } ] } ```