--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man of science wants merely to know…" description: "\"No man of science wants merely to know. He acquires knowledge to appease his passion for discovery. He does not discover in order to know, he knows in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_no-man-of-science-wants-merely-to-know-h_1427142.jpg" --- # No man of science wants merely to know. He acquires… ![“No man of science wants merely to know. He acquires knowledge to appease his passion for discovery. He does not discover in order to know, he knows in order to discover.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_no-man-of-science-wants-merely-to-know-h_1427142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_no-man-of-science-wants-merely-to-know-h_1427142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/alfred-north-whitehead-836_acquire_no-man-of-science-wants-merely-to-know-h_1427142.jpg) > “No man of science wants merely to know. He acquires knowledge to appease his passion for discovery. He does not discover in order to know, he knows in order to discover.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science seeks knowledge to fuel the drive for discovery, not merely to accumulate facts; curiosity propels research. **In simple terms:** Science is driven by curiosity. Key Takeaway Let curiosity guide inquiry. Themes science curiosity discovery philosophy Mood intellectual enthusiastic Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - laboratory work - academic study - innovation labs - exploratory projects Key Concepts epistemology motivation research methodology Questions to Reflect On - How does curiosity shape your work? - When should practicality dominate? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on curiosity can neglect practical applications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Acquires Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquires-knowledge-1082856/) [Appease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appease/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Man Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-science/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-wants-1920659/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-me/) ## Related quotes > [A fool acquires knowledge only to his own disadvantage. It destroys what good he has, and turns his brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/a-fool-acquires-knowledge-only-to-his-own-disadvantage-it-destroys/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/ah-it-is-the-fault-of-our-science-that-it-wants-to-explain-all-and-if/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [Science is for anyone who wants to explore their world and understand things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/science-is-for-anyone-who-wants-to-explore-their-world-and-understand/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I'm not an academic, but I'm someone who has a great passion for science and wants to convey the idea that science is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-campbell/i-m-not-an-academic-but-i-m-someone-who-has-a-great-passion-for/) [Dallas Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-campbell/) > [“If science wants to be truthful, What science is more truthful than the science of things without science? I close my eyes and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-caeiro/if-science-wants-to-be-truthful-what-science-is-more-truthful-than/) [Alberto Caeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-caeiro/) > [A generation that acquires knowledge without ever understanding how that knowledge can benefit the community is a generation that is not learning what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-l-hollander/a-generation-that-acquires-knowledge-without-ever-understanding-how/) [Elizabeth L Hollander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-l-hollander/) > [Whoever acquires knowledge and does not practice it resembles him who plows his land and leaves it unsown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muslih-uddin-sadi/whoever-acquires-knowledge-and-does-not-practice-it-resembles-him-who/) [Muslih-uddin Sadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muslih-uddin-sadi/) > [Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it, is like one who plough a field but does not sow it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whoever-acquires-knowledge-but-does-not-practice-it-is-like-one-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it is as one who ploughs but does not sow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/whoever-acquires-knowledge-but-does-not-practice-it-is-as-one-who/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [A man of science doesn't discover in order to know, he wants to know in order to discover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/a-man-of-science-doesn-t-discover-in-order-to-know-he-wants-to-know/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/in-order-to-acquire-learning-we-must-first-shake-ourselves-free-of-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [I'm not a magician. I'am an alchemyst, a man of science, though perhaps not the science you would be familiar with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/i-m-not-a-magician-i-am-an-alchemyst-a-man-of-science-though-perhaps/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Was man made for science, or was science made for man?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/was-man-made-for-science-or-was-science-made-for-man/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [“Do you have anything—a cross, a bible?” I asked him. “Course not! 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