--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the greatest error of all the rest is…" description: "\"But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg" --- # But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or… ![“But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight…” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg) > “But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession; and seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men...” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People pursue knowledge for many motives—curiosity, pleasure, status, profit, or power—yet often neglect the sincere aim of truth for humanity’s benefit. **In simple terms:** Knowledge sought for many reasons, rarely pure truth. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge for genuine benefit. Themes philosophy ethics education motivation truth Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Academic research - personal study - public discourse - policy making Key Concepts Intellectual honesty human progress moral purpose Questions to Reflect On - What drives your own learning? - How can we prioritize truth over profit? A Different Perspective May underestimate the value of pure curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appetite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appetite/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Inquisitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inquisitive/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Natural curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-curiosity/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [Some men covet knowledge out of a natural curiosity and inquisitive temper; some to entertain the mind with variety and delight; some for ornament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/some-men-covet-knowledge-out-of-a-natural-curiosity-and-inquisitive/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [A playful mind is inquisitive, and learning is fun. If you indulge your natural curiosity and retain a sense of fun in new experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-playful-mind-is-inquisitive-and-learning-is-fun-if-you-indulge-your/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“Psychology, she thought; that is what they called it these days, but in her view it was something much older than that. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/psychology-she-thought-that-is-what-they-called-it-these-days-but-in/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Every man is a valuable member of society, who, by his observations, researches, and experiments, procures knowledge for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-smithson/every-man-is-a-valuable-member-of-society-who-by-his-observations/) James Smithson > [How very seldom do you encounter in the world a man of great abilities, acquirements, experience, who will unmask his mind, unbutton his brains,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/how-very-seldom-do-you-encounter-in-the-world-a-man-of-great/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“the knowledge in men's minds had far more meaning for the future than whatever blood coursed in their veins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach-2/the-knowledge-in-men-s-minds-had-far-more-meaning-for-the-future-than/) [T.R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach-2/) > [How can smart women be so stupid about men sometimes? Lack of knowledge. It's what men have kept secret for so long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/how-can-smart-women-be-so-stupid-about-men-sometimes-lack-of/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-end-of-knowledge-is-power-the-scope-of-all-speculation-is-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [More is got from one book on which the thought settles for a definite end in knowledge, than from libraries skimmed over by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/more-is-got-from-one-book-on-which-the-thought-settles-for-a-definite/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The end of all knowledge should be service to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-end-of-all-knowledge-should-be-service-to-others/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The ultimate end...is not knowledge, but action. To be half right on time may be more important than to obtain the whole truth too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-ultimate-end-is-not-knowledge-but-action-to-be-half-right-on-time/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The end of all knowledge must be the building up of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-end-of-all-knowledge-must-be-the-building-up-of-character/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/you-were-not-there-for-the-beginning-you-will-not-be-there-for-the/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The end of knowledge is wisdom The end of culture is perfection The end of wisdom is freedom The end of education is character.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-baba/the-end-of-knowledge-is-wisdom-the-end-of-culture-is-perfection-the/) [Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-baba/) > [The height of all philosophy is to know thyself; and the end of this knowledge is to know God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-height-of-all-philosophy-is-to-know-thyself-and-the-end-of-this/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [I had a very blessed journey with the upbringing I had. When you're working on sets as a stuntman, you have a firsthand account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-roman-waugh/i-had-a-very-blessed-journey-with-the-upbringing-i-had-when-you-re/) [Ric Roman Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-roman-waugh/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [You've got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they're the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-ve-got-to-exercise-your-health-account-your-bank-account-they-re/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/that-surely-must-be-a-concern-to-anyone-who-decides-this-drug-must-be/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) Browse all 2,677 Accounts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession; and seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-is-the-mistaking-or-misplacing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accounts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-is-the-mistaking-or-misplacing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/francis-bacon-297_accounts_but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-i_1272223.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of…” — Francis Bacon", "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": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But the greatest error of all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-is-the-mistaking-or-misplacing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/but-the-greatest-error-of-all-the-rest-is-the-mistaking-or-misplacing/#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 } } ] } ```