Knowledge Quote by Francis Bacon Sr
“The desire of power in excess caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in excess caused man to fall.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: The Advancement of Learning, 1605
Excessive desire for power leads to downfall; excessive desire for knowledge also leads to humanity’s fall.
In simple terms: Power and knowledge can corrupt.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with humility.
Themes
philosophy
ethics
power
knowledge
human nature
Mood
cautionary
thoughtful
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- leadership decisions
- scientific research
- political ambition
- personal growth
Key Concepts
hubris
moral limits
intellectual humility
Questions to Reflect On
- When does ambition become dangerous?
- How can societies regulate power responsibly?
A Different Perspective
Not all knowledge pursuit is harmful.
![“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions of phantasmatical seeming philosophy." [William Petty]” quote by Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5a/carl-zimmer-16331_knowledge_i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted_1770.jpg)
