--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus, as far as he is a scientific man…" description: "\"“Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows anything, he is a materialist; outside his science, in spheres about which he knows nothing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg" --- # Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows… ![“Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows anything, he is a materialist; outside his science, in spheres about which he knows nothing, he translates his ignorance into Greek and calls it agnosticism.” quote by Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg) > ““Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows anything, he is a materialist; outside his science, in spheres about which he knows nothing, he translates his ignorance into Greek and calls it agnosticism.”” [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A scientific person may be materialist in known fields, but in unknown realms they hide ignorance behind agnosticism, turning uncertainty into a label. **In simple terms:** Scientists can claim certainty in known areas but hide ignorance elsewhere. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of knowledge. Themes knowledge ignorance skepticism philosophy Mood critical thoughtful analytical Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - research - public discourse - education - policy making Key Concepts materialism agnosticism intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - What areas do we label as unknowable? - How can we better acknowledge uncertainty? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex unknowns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Materialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialist/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [“According to the materialist conception of history, the ultimately determining element in history is the production and reproduction of real life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/according-to-the-materialist-conception-of-history-the-ultimately/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [“Uncorked materialism is new cannibalism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/uncorked-materialism-is-new-cannibalism/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [A change in external circumstances without inner renewal is a materialist's illusion, as though man were only a product of his social circumstance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/a-change-in-external-circumstances-without-inner-renewal-is-a/) [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [The Christian is quite free to believe that there is a considerable amount of settled order and inevitable development in the universe. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [“When going out of your material body, after the return, the courage becomes so great that you can tread on things that can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-going-out-of-your-material-body-after-the-return-the-courage/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“For the genuine materialist there is no fundamental, but only a gradual, an “evolutionary” difference, between man and a pest, a noxious insect”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/for-the-genuine-materialist-there-is-no-fundamental-but-only-a/) [Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/) > [You're a materialist, like all ignorant people. But your materialism doesn't make materialism true. Don't you know that? In the final summing up, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/you-re-a-materialist-like-all-ignorant-people-but-your-materialism/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) ## More by Friedrich Engels > [The ancient Greek philosophers were all natural-born dialecticians and Aristotle, the most encyclopaedic intellect among them, had even already analysed the most essential forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/the-ancient-greek-philosophers-were-all-natural-born-dialecticians/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [ I have learned more \[from Balzac\] than from all the professional historians, economists, and statisticians put together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/i-have-learned-more-from-balzac-than-from-all-the-professional/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [All history has been a history of class struggles between dominated classes at various stages of social development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/all-history-has-been-a-history-of-class-struggles-between-dominated/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [“According to the materialist conception of history, the ultimately determining element in history is the production and reproduction of real life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/according-to-the-materialist-conception-of-history-the-ultimately/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [All that is real in human history becomes irrational in the process of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/all-that-is-real-in-human-history-becomes-irrational-in-the-process/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [The state is not abolished, it withers away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/the-state-is-not-abolished-it-withers-away/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [“History does nothing, it possesses no immense wealth, it wages no battles. 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By proletariat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/by-bourgeoisie-is-meant-the-class-of-modern-capitalists-owners-of-the/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) [Explore all 81 Friedrich Engels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) ## More Agnosticism quotes > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Agnosticism is the natural attitude of the evolutionist. 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We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 275 Agnosticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows anything, he is a materialist; outside his science, in spheres about which he knows nothing, he translates his ignorance into Greek and calls it agnosticism.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Engels" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as-far-as-he-knows-anything-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agnosticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as-far-as-he-knows-anything-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/friedrich-engels-8301_agnosticism_thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as_409859.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thus, as far as he is a scientific man, as far as he knows anything, he is a materialist; outside his…” — Friedrich Engels", "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": "Friedrich Engels", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Thus, as far as he is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as-far-as-he-knows-anything-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/thus-as-far-as-he-is-a-scientific-man-as-far-as-he-knows-anything-he/#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 } } ] } ```