Existence Quote by John Steinbeck
““I guess we're all, or most of us, the wards of that nineteenth-century science which denied existence to anything it could not measure or explain. The things we couldn't explain went right on but surely not with our blessing. We did not see what we couldn't explain, and meanwhile a great part of the world was abandoned to children, insane people, fools, and mystics, who were more interested in what is than in why it is. So many old and lovely things are stored in the world's attic, because we don't want them around us and we don't dare throw them out.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Attic of the World”, 1935
Science that ignores the unmeasurable discards wonder, leaving humanity to rely on mystics and fools for the unseen.
In simple terms: Science can reject the unmeasurable, pushing wonder to the margins.
Key Takeaway
Balance empirical inquiry with openness to mystery.
Themes
science
mysticism
knowledge
culture
ignorance
Mood
thoughtful
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
debate
When to use this quote
- education reform
- public policy
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
philosophy
epistemology
sociology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we value what cannot be measured?
- What role should mysticism play in modern society?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on measurement can stifle creativity and empathy.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
