A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Power to translate is the test of having really understood one's own meaning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding one's own thoughts is crucial for effective communication.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes that the true measure of comprehension is the ability to convey one's ideas clearly to others. If a person can translate their internal thoughts into a form that others can understand, it reflects a deep understanding of those thoughts. This quote illustrates the importance of clarity in communication as a sign of intellectual grasp.
Themes
UnderstandingCommunicationClarityThoughtsTranslation
In practice
Example use cases
In a classroom discussion to emphasize the importance of explaining concepts clearly.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
C. S. LewisRead
Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
C. S. LewisRead
Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
C. S. LewisRead
I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
C. S. LewisRead
The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
C. S. LewisRead
Similar quotes
When you find peace within, you also find that you can do without. This means simply that you no longer need the things of your outside world, and not needing is a great freedom.
Neale Donald WalschRead
I'm not perfect. And who knows how many times I've fallen short. We all fall short. That's the amazing thing about the grace of God.
Tim TebowRead
An ordinary mistake is one that leads to a dead end, while a profound mistake is one that leads to progress. Anyone can make an ordinary mistake, but it takes a genius to make a profound mistake.
Frank WilczekRead
If there is a single definition of healing it is to enter with mercy and awareness those pains, mental and physical, from which we have withdrawn in judgment and dismay. (48)
Stephen LevineRead
Let neither tear nor reproach besmirch this declaration of the mastery of God who, with magnificent irony, granted me both the gift of books and the night.
Jorge Luis BorgesRead
Whatever someone did to you in the past has no power over the present. Only you give it power.
Oprah WinfreyRead