--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real wisdom is not the knowledge of…" description: "\"“Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are compl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/jean-jaques-rousseau-2-100480_knowledge_real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-ever_314176.jpg" --- # Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the… ![“Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are completely unnecessary to know. Among the most necessary knowledge is the knowledge of how to live well, that is, how to produce the least possible evil…” quote by Jean Jaques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/jean-jaques-rousseau-2-100480_knowledge_real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-ever_314176.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/jean-jaques-rousseau-2-100480_knowledge_real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-ever_314176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/jean-jaques-rousseau-2-100480_knowledge_real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-ever_314176.jpg) > ““Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are completely unnecessary to know. Among the most necessary knowledge is the knowledge of how to live well, that is, how to produce the least possible evil and the greatest goodness in one’s life. At present, people study useless sciences, but forget to study this, the most important knowledge.”” Jean Jaques Rousseau ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True wisdom lies not in knowing everything but in discerning what is essential, less essential, and unnecessary, focusing on living well and minimizing evil while maximizing good. **In simple terms:** Wisdom is knowing what truly matters and living well. Key Takeaway Prioritize essential knowledge and ethical living. Themes philosophy wisdom ethics knowledge life purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type Knowledge:1 Life:1 Live well:0 Real wisdom:1 Things in life:0 Wisdom:1 Wisdom Knowledge:0 Knowledge Knowledge:0 Necessary Knowledge:1 When to use this quote - education - personal development - policy making - daily choices Key Concepts essentialism moral philosophy practical wisdom Questions to Reflect On - What is the most essential knowledge for you? - How can you balance essential learning with broader curiosity? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on “essential” may neglect curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-wisdom/) [Things in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-in-life/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/real-wisdom-is-not-the-knowledge-of-everything-but-the-knowledge-of-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [WISDOM IS dependent upon knowledge. Where there is complete ignorance there can be no wisdom, no knowledge of the right thing to do. Man’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/wisdom-is-dependent-upon-knowledge-where-there-is-complete-ignorance/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Wisdom: Knowledge rightly applied. We assimilate lots of knowledge. Whether or not we do anything with that knowledge is a measure of our wisdom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/wisdom-knowledge-rightly-applied-we-assimilate-lots-of-knowledge/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [The history of what the law has been is necessary to the knowledge of what the law is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/the-history-of-what-the-law-has-been-is-necessary-to-the-knowledge-of/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In business, three things are necessary: knowledge, temper, and time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-business-three-things-are-necessary-knowledge-temper-and-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not necessary that if you have knowledge, you also have the wisdom; once you will be able to spread over knowledge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-z-warsi/it-is-not-necessary-that-if-you-have-knowledge-you-also-have-the-2/) [Asif Z Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-z-warsi/) > [It is not necessary that if you have knowledge, you also have the wisdom; once you will be able to raise the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-z-warsi/it-is-not-necessary-that-if-you-have-knowledge-you-also-have-the/) [Asif Z Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-z-warsi/) > [“You need not specifically discuss the perspectives of different religions in your essay, so no research is necessary. Your knowledge, or lack thereof, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-need-not-specifically-discuss-the-perspectives-of-different/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The fear of death is indeed the pretence of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being the appearance of knowing the unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretence-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Know what you know and know that you don't know what you don't know — that is the characteristic of one who knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/know-what-you-know-and-know-that-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Real wisdom is simple. Living life rightly does not have to be a complicated challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/real-wisdom-is-simple-living-life-rightly-does-not-have-to-be-a/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [In the end, the real wisdom of menopause may be in questioning how fun or even sane this chore wheel called modern life actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-tsing-loh/in-the-end-the-real-wisdom-of-menopause-may-be-in-questioning-how-fun/) [Sandra Tsing Loh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-tsing-loh/) > [As I have grown older I am more and more convinced that I have not grown up, that my powers have not come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corra-may-harris/as-i-have-grown-older-i-am-more-and-more-convinced-that-i-have-not/) [Corra May Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corra-may-harris/) > [The knowledge of the causal power of thought is the basis of all their (Hebrew) prophecies, as it is the basis of all real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-knowledge-of-the-causal-power-of-thought-is-the-basis-of-all/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More by Jean Jaques Rousseau > [“What conclusion is to be drawn from this paradox so worthy of being born in our time; and what will become of virtue when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jaques-rousseau-2/what-conclusion-is-to-be-drawn-from-this-paradox-so-worthy-of-being/) Jean Jaques Rousseau Explore all 2 Jean Jaques Rousseau quotes ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are completely unnecessary to know. 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