Absurdity Quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
““They say that Caliph Omar, when consulted about what had to be done with the library of Alexandria, answered as follows: 'If the books of this library contain matters opposed to the Koran, they are bad and must be burned. If they contain only the doctrine of the Koran, burn them anyway, for they are superfluous.' Our learned men have cited this reasoning as the height of absurdity. However, suppose Gregory the Great was there instead of Omar and the Gospel instead of the Koran. The library would still have been burned, and that might well have been the finest moment in the life of this illustrious pontiff.””
About This Quote
Rousseau critiques the paradox of destroying knowledge to protect doctrine, showing that such reasoning leads to absurd outcomes regardless of religion.
In simple terms: Destroying books to protect faith is illogical.
Key Takeaway
Question the logic behind censoring knowledge.
Themes
religion
knowledge
paradox
censorship
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
satirical
When to use this quote
- library preservation
- academic freedom
- religious policy
- cultural heritage
- education
Key Concepts
philosophy
historical anecdote
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives societies to destroy knowledge?
- Can faith coexist with open inquiry?
A Different Perspective
The quote oversimplifies complex historical motives and may misrepresent actual events.
