The ability to perceive or think differently is more important

Hear the words of David Bohm, physicist and seeker of hidden truths, who declared: “The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.” In this wisdom shines a light upon the nature of human progress. For knowledge, once learned, is but a storehouse of the past. It is valuable, but it is fixed, bound by the limits of what is already known. Yet the power to perceive differently, to see with fresh eyes, to imagine beyond the given, is the spark that ignites discovery, creation, and transformation.

The meaning of this teaching is that knowledge alone is insufficient. A man may fill his mind with books, facts, and doctrines, yet remain blind to the deeper patterns of life. Knowledge repeats what has already been seen; perception and imagination reveal what has not yet been grasped. Bohm, who spent his life exploring both the laws of physics and the mysteries of thought itself, knew that breakthroughs come not from the accumulation of data, but from the courage to question assumptions and to see the world anew.

History bears witness to this truth. Consider the tale of Albert Einstein. He did not discover relativity by memorizing more formulas than his peers, but by daring to think differently about space and time. Where others saw absolutes, he perceived relativity; where others clung to the knowledge of Newton, he allowed his imagination to carry him beyond. Knowledge gave him the tools, but perception gave him the vision. Without the ability to think differently, his vast knowledge would have remained bound to old limits.

The same is true in the realm of human freedom. When Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a nation where people were judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, he was not merely drawing from knowledge of history or law. He was exercising the sacred gift of perceiving differently—seeing what others could not yet see, imagining justice where only injustice reigned. His power lay not in repeating facts, but in revealing a vision that transformed hearts and societies.

Bohm’s words also serve as a warning: a people who worship knowledge but lose the ability to think anew will stagnate. Civilizations that cling too tightly to tradition, refusing to question, eventually wither. The great dynasties of China and the empires of Europe all reached heights of knowledge, but when they resisted new ways of thinking, they declined. The ability to see differently is what renews societies and prevents wisdom from becoming dogma.

The lesson for us is this: do not despise knowledge, but do not stop there. Cultivate the art of questioning, of imagination, of shifting your perspective. Train your mind not only to remember, but to reimagine. When faced with problems, do not merely apply old answers; dare to seek new ones. The world changes, and only those who think differently can lead it into the future.

Therefore, beloved seekers, let your practice be this: study, but also reflect. Gather knowledge, but also challenge it. Ask yourself often: “What am I not seeing? How else could this be understood?” Let curiosity be your guide, and let imagination be your strength. And remember always the eternal wisdom of David Bohm: knowledge is valuable, but the power to perceive and think differently is greater still. For it is this power that unlocks the future, transforms the present, and honors the boundless potential of the human soul.