--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The infinite! No other question has ever…" description: "\"The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man.\" — David Hilbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg" --- # The infinite! No other question has ever moved so… ![“The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man.” quote by David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg) > “The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man.” [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## 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 expresses awe at a profound question that deeply moves human spirit. **In simple terms:** A profound question moves the spirit. Key Takeaway Seek deep, meaningful questions. Themes philosophy inspiration humanity Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - education - research - artistic creation - spiritual practice Key Concepts metaphysics existential inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What question has most moved you? - How can you formulate deeper questions? A Different Perspective Not all questions are equally impactful; some may be trivial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man; no other idea has so fruitfully stimulated his intellect; yet no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the-spirit-of-man-no/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [An infinite question is often destroyed by finite answers...To define everything is to annihilate much that gives us laughter and joy...If I try self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/an-infinite-question-is-often-destroyed-by-finite-answers-to-define-2/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [An infinite question is often destroyed by finite answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/an-infinite-question-is-often-destroyed-by-finite-answers/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [An infinite question is often destroyed by finite answers. To define everything is to annihilate much that gives us laughter and joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/an-infinite-question-is-often-destroyed-by-finite-answers-to-define/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Without doubt God is the universal moving force, but each being is moved according to the nature that God has given it. He directs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/without-doubt-god-is-the-universal-moving-force-but-each-being-is/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [The more one pleases everybody, the less one pleases profoundly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-more-one-pleases-everybody-the-less-one-pleases-profoundly/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“I am profoundly enchanted by the flowing complexity in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-am-profoundly-enchanted-by-the-flowing-complexity-in-you/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I'm the guy that has written at great length about exactly how we should profoundly reform Social Security. If I were afraid of going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-toomey/i-m-the-guy-that-has-written-at-great-length-about-exactly-how-we/) [Pat Toomey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-toomey/) > [A soulmate is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communicating and communing that take place between us were not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/a-soulmate-is-someone-to-whom-we-feel-profoundly-connected-as-though/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“The more one pleases generally, the less one pleases profoundly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krister-stendahl/the-more-one-pleases-generally-the-less-one-pleases-profoundly/) Krister Stendahl > [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I was raised into the Romanian Orthodox culture by my parents, and most notably my mother, who is a profoundly religious and spiritual woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-was-raised-into-the-romanian-orthodox-culture-by-my-parents-and/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) > [So you want to be a man? You will become a man on the day that you profoundly respect every woman you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/so-you-want-to-be-a-man-you-will-become-a-man-on-the-day-that-you/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [No one can be profoundly original who does not avoid eccentricity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-maurois/no-one-can-be-profoundly-original-who-does-not-avoid-eccentricity/) [Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-maurois/) > [I, for one, am profoundly grateful to feel the hand of God at work in my life. But at the beginning and end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/i-for-one-am-profoundly-grateful-to-feel-the-hand-of-god-at-work-in/) [Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/) ## More by David Hilbert > [ \[On Cantor's work:\] The finest product of mathematical genius and one of the supreme achievements of purely intellectual human activity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/on-cantor-s-work-the-finest-product-of-mathematical-genius-and-one-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry is the most complete science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-is-the-most-complete-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Who of us would not be glad to lift the veil behind which the future lies hidden; to cast a glance at the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/who-of-us-would-not-be-glad-to-lift-the-veil-behind-which-the-future/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [How thoroughly it is ingrained in mathematical science that every real advance goes hand in hand with the invention of sharper tools and simpler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/how-thoroughly-it-is-ingrained-in-mathematical-science-that-every/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Galileo was no idiot. Only an idiot could believe that science requires martyrdom - that may be necessary in religion, but in time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/galileo-was-no-idiot-only-an-idiot-could-believe-that-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [If I were to awaken after having slept for a thousand years, my first question would be: Has the Riemann hypothesis been proven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/if-i-were-to-awaken-after-having-slept-for-a-thousand-years-my-first/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [A mathematical theory is not to be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/a-mathematical-theory-is-not-to-be-considered-complete-until-you-have/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Besides it is an error to believe that rigour is the enemy of simplicity. On the contrary we find it confirmed by numerous examples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/besides-it-is-an-error-to-believe-that-rigour-is-the-enemy-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Is mathematics doomed to suffer the same fate as other sciences that have split into separate branches?... Mathematics is, in my opinion, an indivisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/is-mathematics-doomed-to-suffer-the-same-fate-as-other-sciences-that/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [One must be able to say at all times--instead of points, straight lines, and planes--tables, chairs, and beer mugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/one-must-be-able-to-say-at-all-times-instead-of-points-straight-lines/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I have tried to avoid long numerical computations, thereby following Riemann's postulate that proofs should be given through ideas and not voluminous computations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-have-tried-to-avoid-long-numerical-computations-thereby-following/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I do not want to presuppose anything as known. I see in my explanation in section 1 the definition of the concepts point, straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-do-not-want-to-presuppose-anything-as-known-i-see-in-my-explanation/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man; no other idea has so fruitfully stimulated his intellect; yet no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the-spirit-of-man-no/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [The further a mathematical theory is developed, the more harmoniously and uniformly does its construction proceed, and unsuspected relations are disclosed between hitherto separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-further-a-mathematical-theory-is-developed-the-more-harmoniously/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) [Explore all 53 David Hilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## More Infinite quotes > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [It has no future but itself Its infinite contain Its pastenlightened to perceive New periods of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-no-future-but-itself-its-infinite-contain-its-pastenlightened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doctrine tied itself into infinite knots over the realities of sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/doctrine-tied-itself-into-infinite-knots-over-the-realities-of-sex/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [“The God I know is the source of reality, rather than morality; the source of 'what is' rather than the source of 'what ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/the-god-i-know-is-the-source-of-reality-rather-than-morality-the/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [The human body has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought about by its environment. The secret of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-johnson/the-human-body-has-been-designed-to-resist-an-infinite-number-of/) Harry Johnson > [Marvellous mercies and infinite love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/marvellous-mercies-and-infinite-love/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [God is a reality of spirit He cannot be conceived as an object, not even as the very highest object. God is not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/god-is-a-reality-of-spirit-he-cannot-be-conceived-as-an-object-not/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I've been working with a holistic specialist, trying to bring my body into balance, and part of making that happen is putting my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/i-ve-been-working-with-a-holistic-specialist-trying-to-bring-my-body/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [“the infinite Manhattan night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/the-infinite-manhattan-night/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) Browse all 3,421 Infinite quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Hilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Infinite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/david-hilbert-12585_infinite_the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever_2428166.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The infinite! No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man.” — David Hilbert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Hilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The infinite! No other question has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-infinite-no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```