Amount Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
“Just as the largest library, badly arranged, is not so useful as a very moderate one that is well arranged, so the greatest amount of knowledge, if not elaborated by our own thoughts, is worth much less than a far smaller volume that has been abundantly and repeatedly thought over.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The World as Will and Representation, Arthur Schopenhauer, 1818
A massive, poorly organized library is less valuable than a smaller, well‑thought‑out collection; knowledge must be actively processed to be useful.
In simple terms: Well‑organized small knowledge beats large disorganized knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize depth over breadth.
Themes
philosophy
knowledge
organization
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- studying
- research
- education
Key Concepts
cognitive processing
learning efficiency
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure you truly understand what you read?
- What methods help you organize knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Large volumes without reflection are wasted.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
![“[Materialism] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism, to chemism, to polarity, to the vegetable and to the animal kingdom. And if we suppose this to have been done, the last link in the chain would be…” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/88c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_animal-kingdom_materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-s_50402.jpg)
