--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tolstoi explains somewhere in his…" description: "\"Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, “Science for Science's sake” is an absurd conception. We cannot know all the facts, sin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg" --- # Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his… ![“Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, “Science for Science's sake” is an absurd conception. We cannot know all the facts, since they are practically infinite in number. We must make a selection. Is it not better to be guided by utility, by our practical, and more…” quote by Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg) > “Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, “Science for Science's sake” is an absurd conception. We cannot know all the facts, since they are practically infinite in number. We must make a selection. Is it not better to be guided by utility, by our practical, and more especially our moral, necessities?” [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science should serve practical and moral needs, not chase knowledge for its own sake; we must prioritize utility. **In simple terms:** Science must be useful and ethical. Key Takeaway Align research with societal benefit. Themes science utility ethics Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - policy making - technology development - educational curricula - research funding Key Concepts pragmatism philosophy of science morality Questions to Reflect On - What research truly serves humanity? - How to balance curiosity with responsibility? A Different Perspective Pure curiosity can waste resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, "Science for Science's sake" is an absurd conception. We cannot know all the facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writings-why-in-his-opinion-science/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Of my conception I know only what you know of yours. It occurred in darkness and I was unconsenting... By some bleak alchemy what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/of-my-conception-i-know-only-what-you-know-of-yours-it-occurred-in/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“The mystery of life is beyond all human conception. Everything we know is within the terminology of the concepts of being and not being,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-mystery-of-life-is-beyond-all-human-conception-everything-we-know/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“With the Epicureans it was never science for the sake of science but always science for the sake of human happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/with-the-epicureans-it-was-never-science-for-the-sake-of-science-but/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [I had then and still retain an interest in science for its own sake and as a metaphor for our current lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hammill/i-had-then-and-still-retain-an-interest-in-science-for-its-own-sake/) [Peter Hammill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hammill/) > [“He was not interested in detached knowledge, science for science's sake: there was no use learning anything if it was of no use. Relevance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/he-was-not-interested-in-detached-knowledge-science-for-science-s/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > ['Science in itself' is nothing, for it exists only in the human beings who are its bearers. 'Science for its own sake' usually means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-virchow/science-in-itself-is-nothing-for-it-exists-only-in-the-human-beings/) [Rudolf Virchow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-virchow/) > [But then he told himself: What does it really mean to be useful? Today's world, just as it is, contains the sum of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/but-then-he-told-himself-what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-useful-today/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [In my humble opinion, the PC as we have known it is in a continuous decline and being relegated to a utility device for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-ruiz/in-my-humble-opinion-the-pc-as-we-have-known-it-is-in-a-continuous/) [Hector Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-ruiz/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Outer happiness has Diminishing Marginal Utility; the more it grows, the satisfaction decreases. Resort to inner happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/outer-happiness-has-diminishing-marginal-utility-the-more-it-grows/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [For now, I'm supposing that all movements are equal, which they're not, except in this respect: that none of them gives a damn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/for-now-i-m-supposing-that-all-movements-are-equal-which-they-re-not/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) ## More by Henri Poincare > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [If we knew exactly the laws of nature and the situation of the universe at the initial moment, we could predict exactly the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-we-knew-exactly-the-laws-of-nature-and-the-situation-of-the/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Absolute space, that is to say, the mark to which it would be necessary to refer the earth to know whether it really moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/absolute-space-that-is-to-say-the-mark-to-which-it-would-be-necessary/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Science is facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/science-is-facts/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Absolute space, that is to say, the mark to which it would be necessary to refer the earth to know whether it really moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/absolute-space-that-is-to-say-the-mark-to-which-it-would-be-necessary-2/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [All of mathematics is a tale about groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/all-of-mathematics-is-a-tale-about-groups/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [A cat is witty, he has nerve, he knows how to do precisely the right thing at the right moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/a-cat-is-witty-he-has-nerve-he-knows-how-to-do-precisely-the-right/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [In the old days when people invented a new function they had something useful in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/in-the-old-days-when-people-invented-a-new-function-they-had/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Intuition is more important to discovery than logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/intuition-is-more-important-to-discovery-than-logic/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Mathematics has a threefold purpose. It must provide an instrument for the study of nature. But this is not all: it has a philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/mathematics-has-a-threefold-purpose-it-must-provide-an-instrument-for/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Experiment is the sole source of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/experiment-is-the-sole-source-of-truth/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“ Qu'une goutee de vin tombe dans un verre d'eau; quelle que soit la loi du movement interne du liquide, nous verrons bientôt se…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/qu-une-goutee-de-vin-tombe-dans-un-verre-d-eau-quelle-que-soit-la-loi/) [Henri Poincaré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [If that enabled us to predict the succeeding situation with the same approximation, that is all we require, and we should say that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-that-enabled-us-to-predict-the-succeeding-situation-with-the-same/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“ Le savant doit ordonner ; on fait la science avec des faits comme une maison avec des pierres ; mais une accumulation de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/le-savant-doit-ordonner-on-fait-la-science-avec-des-faits-comme-une/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) [Explore all 130 Henri Poincare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I was once part of a Christmas cabaret. I sang 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' I tap-danced. I had a ten-gallon hat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-once-part-of-a-christmas-cabaret-i-sang-i-saw-mommy-kissing/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Solitude produces originality, bold and astonishing beauty, poetry. But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, “Science for Science's sake” is an absurd conception. We cannot know all the facts, since they are practically infinite in number. We must make a selection. Is it not better to be guided by utility, by our practical, and more especially our moral, necessities?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Poincare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writings-why-in-his-opinion-science-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writings-why-in-his-opinion-science-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c28/henri-poincare-3339_absurd_tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writin_3159741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings why, in his opinion, “Science for Science's sake” is an absurd…” — Henri Poincare", "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": "Henri Poincare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Tolstoi explains somewhere in his writings...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writings-why-in-his-opinion-science-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/tolstoi-explains-somewhere-in-his-writings-why-in-his-opinion-science-2/#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 } } ] } ```