I? What am I?" roared the President, and he rose slowly to…
““I? What am I?" roared the President, and he rose slowly to an incredible height, like some enormous wave about to arch above them and break. "You want to know what I am, do you? Bull, you are a man of science. Grub in the roots of those trees and find out the truth about them. Syme, you are a poet. Stare at those morning clouds. But I tell you this, that you will have found out the truth of the last tree and the top-most cloud before the truth about me. You will understand the sea, and I shall be still a riddle; you shall know what the stars are, and not know what I am. Since the beginning of the world all men have hunted me like a wolf—kings and sages, and poets and lawgivers, all the churches, and all the philosophies. But I have never been caught yet, and the skies will fall in the time I turn to bay. I have given them a good run for their money, and I will now.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker argues that truth is fragmented across disciplines; each person can grasp parts of it, but the ultimate truth remains elusive and perhaps unattainable.
In simple terms: Truth is split among fields; we never fully capture it.
Key Takeaway
Accept partial knowledge and keep searching.
Themes
knowledge
truth
discipline
humility
search
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- creative writing
- scientific inquiry
- philosophical debate
- personal growth
Key Concepts
epistemology
interdisciplinary
mystery
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to know “the truth” in your field?
- Can we ever reconcile science and art?
A Different Perspective
Absolute truth may be unknowable.