A scholar's business is to add to what is known. That is…
“A scholar's business is to add to what is known. That is all. But it is capable of giving the very greatest satisfaction, because knowledge is good. It does not have to look good or even sound good or even do good. It is good just by being knowledge. And the only thing that makes it knowledge is that it is true. You can't have too much of it and there is no little too little to be worth having. There is truth and falsehood in a comma.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage asserts that scholarship’s purpose is to expand knowledge, which is intrinsically valuable regardless of appearance or utility, emphasizing truth as the sole criterion for knowledge.
In simple terms: Scholarship adds knowledge, valuable for its truth.
Key Takeaway
Pursue truth for its own sake.
Themes
knowledge
truth
scholarship
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- education
- personal learning
Key Concepts
epistemology
intrinsic value
intellectual fulfillment
Questions to Reflect On
- How does truth alone guide your work?
- When is knowledge valuable without utility?
A Different Perspective
Truth alone may not guarantee practical impact.