--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fairest thing we can experience is…" description: "\"The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true science. He who knows it not, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/hans-selye-17189_amazement_the-fairest-thing-we-can-experience-is-t_1110371.jpg" --- # The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It… ![“The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true science. He who knows it not, and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead. We all had this priceless talent when we were young. But as time goes by…” quote by Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/hans-selye-17189_amazement_the-fairest-thing-we-can-experience-is-t_1110371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/hans-selye-17189_amazement_the-fairest-thing-we-can-experience-is-t_1110371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc7/hans-selye-17189_amazement_the-fairest-thing-we-can-experience-is-t_1110371.jpg) > “The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true science. He who knows it not, and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead. We all had this priceless talent when we were young. But as time goes by, many of us lose it. The true scientist never loses the faculty of amazement. It is the essence of his being.” [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awe and curiosity are essential drivers of scientific discovery; losing that sense diminishes vitality and purpose. **In simple terms:** Amazement fuels scientific progress. Key Takeaway Cultivate wonder to stay engaged with learning. Themes curiosity wonder science Mood inspired reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - childhood education - research labs - personal development - creative pursuits - public outreach Key Concepts awe motivation creativity Questions to Reflect On - When did you last feel true amazement? - How can wonder be balanced with critical analysis? 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What? Why? How? I never cease to marvel at the recurring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-wagner/a-young-child-is-indeed-a-true-scientist-just-one-big-question-mark/) [Victoria Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-wagner/) > [The true scientist no longer attempts to disprove the pull of gravity, or the rotation of the earth, or the motion of heavenly bodies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-true-scientist-no-longer-attempts-to-disprove-the-pull-of-gravity/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“What I am thinking of is the man of imagination and science, whose courage is infinite because his curiosity surpasses his courage. Nothing will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/what-i-am-thinking-of-is-the-man-of-imagination-and-science-whose/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [Science makes people reach selflessly for truth and objectivity; it teaches people to accept reality, with wonder and admiration, not to mention the deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lise-meitner/science-makes-people-reach-selflessly-for-truth-and-objectivity-it/) [Lise Meitner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lise-meitner/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Hans Selye > [The element of chance in basic research is overrated. Chance is a lady who smiles only upon those few who know how to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/the-element-of-chance-in-basic-research-is-overrated-chance-is-a-lady/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [To remain healthy a man must have some goal, some purpose in life that he can respect and be proud to work for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/to-remain-healthy-a-man-must-have-some-goal-some-purpose-in-life-that/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Leaders are leaders only as long as they have the respect and loyalty of their followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/leaders-are-leaders-only-as-long-as-they-have-the-respect-and-loyalty/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress is the spice of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-is-the-spice-of-life/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress, in addition to being itself, was also the cause of itself, and the result of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-in-addition-to-being-itself-was-also-the-cause-of-itself-and/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress is not necessarily something bad it all depends on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-is-not-necessarily-something-bad-it-all-depends-on-how-you/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/every-stress-leaves-an-indelible-scar-and-the-organism-pays-for-its/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [My advice to any young person at the beginning of their career is to try to look for the mere outlines of big things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/my-advice-to-any-young-person-at-the-beginning-of-their-career-is-to/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Gratitude conserves the vital energies of a person more than any other attitude tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/gratitude-conserves-the-vital-energies-of-a-person-more-than-any/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [As much as we thirst for approval we dread condemnation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/as-much-as-we-thirst-for-approval-we-dread-condemnation/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Even after the greatest defeats, the depressing thought of being a failure is best combated by taking stock of all your past achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/even-after-the-greatest-defeats-the-depressing-thought-of-being-a/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/adopting-the-right-attitude-can-convert-a-negative-stress-into-a/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [The builder of the best racing car is not necessarily its best driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/the-builder-of-the-best-racing-car-is-not-necessarily-its-best-driver/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [To make a great dream come true, you must first have a great dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/to-make-a-great-dream-come-true-you-must-first-have-a-great-dream/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Random search for data on ... off-chance is hardly scientific. A questionnaire on 'Intellectual Immoralities' was circulated by a well-known institution. 'Intellectual Immorality No.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/random-search-for-data-on-off-chance-is-hardly-scientific-a/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) [Explore all 37 Hans Selye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) ## More Amazement quotes > [We started this together, Leo. Seems only right you come along. You find us a ride, you're in." "Yes!" Leo pumped his fist. \*…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-started-this-together-leo-seems-only-right-you-come-along-you-find/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [When I got on the set of 'Saving Private Ryan,' I discovered, to my amazement, that Steven Spielberg is a gamer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/when-i-got-on-the-set-of-saving-private-ryan-i-discovered-to-my/) [Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/) > [With education symmetrical and true we will take the dead mass buried by slavery's hand and touch them to life. This beauteous angel, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-vernon/with-education-symmetrical-and-true-we-will-take-the-dead-mass-buried/) [William Tecumseh Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-vernon/) > [The very fact that we make such a to-do over golden weddings indicates our amazement at human endurance. The celebration is more in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilka-chase/the-very-fact-that-we-make-such-a-to-do-over-golden-weddings/) [Ilka Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilka-chase/) > [I think it wasn't so much that the White House altered me in any essential way as that I found the resources with which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-ford/i-think-it-wasn-t-so-much-that-the-white-house-altered-me-in-any/) [Betty Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-ford/) > [He sees with amazement that our defeats are but the stepping stones to victory and that all his victories are stepping stones to ruin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/he-sees-with-amazement-that-our-defeats-are-but-the-stepping-stones/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Sometime in the last ten years the best brains of the Occident discovered to their amazement that we live in an Environment. This discovery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-snyder/sometime-in-the-last-ten-years-the-best-brains-of-the-occident/) [Gary Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-snyder/) > [When one thinks of the wondrous glory of Christ, how astonishing that He can join with us! But more, when one thinks of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wigram/when-one-thinks-of-the-wondrous-glory-of-christ-how-astonishing-that/) [George Wigram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wigram/) > [Other people's marriages are a perpetual source of amazement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/other-people-s-marriages-are-a-perpetual-source-of-amazement/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Adlai Stevenson, himself a notable speaker, often reminisced about his last meeting with Churchill. I asked him on whom or what he had based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bourke-cockran/adlai-stevenson-himself-a-notable-speaker-often-reminisced-about-his/) [William Bourke Cockran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bourke-cockran/) > [I realized a long time ago, with a certain amazement, that no mattter how important something is in your life, no matter how huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-shinn/i-realized-a-long-time-ago-with-a-certain-amazement-that-no-mattter/) [Sharon Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-shinn/) > [Basically, I want to spend my time in retreat, but to my own amazement, I agreed to help with a project to start a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/basically-i-want-to-spend-my-time-in-retreat-but-to-my-own-amazement/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Ten times a day something happens to me like this - some strengthening throb of amazement - some good sweet empathic ping and swell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/ten-times-a-day-something-happens-to-me-like-this-some-strengthening/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [DREAM PREDICTION ELITE is the realization of true amazement in your audiences reactions. This is PURE GOLD - A REAL WINNER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banachek/dream-prediction-elite-is-the-realization-of-true-amazement-in-your/) [Banachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banachek/) > [Poetry is a language in which man explores his own amazement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/poetry-is-a-language-in-which-man-explores-his-own-amazement/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) [Browse all 241 Amazement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true science. He who knows it not, and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead. We all had this priceless talent when we were young. But as time goes by, many of us lose it. The true scientist never loses the faculty of amazement. 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