It was long before I could believe that human learning had…
““It was long before I could believe that human learning had no clear answer to this question. For a long time it seemed to me, as I listened to the gravity and seriousness wherewith Science affirmed its positions on matters unconnected with the problem of life, that I must have misunderstood something. For a long time I was timid in the presence in learning, and I fancied that the insufficiency of the answers which I received was not its fault, but was owing to my own gross ignorance, but this thing was not a joke or a pastime with me, but the business of my life, and I was at last forced, willy-nilly, to the conclusion that these questions of mine were the only legitimate questions underlying all knowledge, and that it was not I that was in fault in putting them, but science in pretending to have an answer for them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author reflects on the limits of scientific knowledge and the importance of existential questions that science cannot answer.
In simple terms: Science can't answer life's deepest questions.
Key Takeaway
Seek meaning beyond scientific answers.
Themes
philosophy
science
existential
knowledge
humility
Mood
contemplative
serious
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- academic study
- spiritual search
- career decision
Key Concepts
Epistemology
meaning
human condition
introspection
Questions to Reflect On
- What questions do you feel science ignores?
- How do you balance scientific knowledge with personal meaning?
A Different Perspective
Science may never resolve all human concerns.