Arise Quote by William Whewell
“According to the technical language of old writers, a thing and its qualities are described as subject and attributes; and thus a man's faculties and acts are attributes of which he is the subject. The mind is the subject in which ideas inhere. Moreover, the man's faculties and acts are employed upon external objects; and from objects all his sensations arise. Hence the part of a man's knowledge which belongs to his own mind, is subjective: that which flows in upon him from the world external to him, is objective.”
About This Quote
Source Book: History of the Inductive Sciences, William Whewell, 1840
The mind perceives internal ideas subjectively, while external objects provide objective sensations; knowledge splits into subjective and objective parts.
In simple terms: Mind sees internal ideas; world gives external sensations.
Key Takeaway
Distinguish between internal thoughts and external facts.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
mind-body
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- education
- science
- personal decision-making
Key Concepts
subjectivity
objectivity
perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you separate personal bias from factual evidence?
- What practices help balance internal reflection with external observation?
A Different Perspective
Subjective bias can distort objective understanding.
![“We need very much a name to describe a cultivator of science in general. I should incline to call him a scientist. [The first use of the word.]” quote by William Whewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c81/william-whewell-17887_firsts_we-need-very-much-a-name-to-describe-a-c_609740.jpg)
