--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe we can comprehend a flower or an…" description: "\"Maybe we can comprehend a flower or an insect, but we can never comprehend ourselves. Even less can we expect to comprehend the universe.\" — Jostein Ga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/jostein-gaarder-676_comprehend_maybe-we-can-comprehend-a-flower-or-an-i_1709114.png" --- # Maybe we can comprehend a flower or an insect, but we can… ![“Maybe we can comprehend a flower or an insect, but we can never comprehend ourselves. Even less can we expect to comprehend the universe.” quote by Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/jostein-gaarder-676_comprehend_maybe-we-can-comprehend-a-flower-or-an-i_1709114.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/jostein-gaarder-676_comprehend_maybe-we-can-comprehend-a-flower-or-an-i_1709114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/jostein-gaarder-676_comprehend_maybe-we-can-comprehend-a-flower-or-an-i_1709114.png) > “Maybe we can comprehend a flower or an insect, but we can never comprehend ourselves. Even less can we expect to comprehend the universe.” [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human understanding is limited; we grasp external objects more easily than our own minds or the cosmos. **In simple terms:** We know less about ourselves than about things. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑inquiry. Themes knowledge humility self‑awareness Mood thoughtful philosophical Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - education - personal growth - science - philosophy Key Concepts Epistemology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself remain unknown? - How does accepting ignorance empower learning? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge is often hindered by ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comprehend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehend/) [Comprehend Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehend-flower-1227859/) [Comprehend Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehend-universe-559805/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Insect Comprehend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insect-comprehend-1227858/) [Insects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insects/) [Maybe Comprehend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-comprehend-1227860/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Genius is a curse. That's how I look at it. 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I just want so desperately to hang on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/i-no-longer-feel-the-need-to-see-and-sense-more-than-i-ve-already/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The sophists were as a rule men who had traveled widely and seen different forms of government. Both conventions and local laws in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-sophists-were-as-a-rule-men-who-had-traveled-widely-and-seen/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Where did the world come from? The question has an answer, even though I cannot get to it. It is a good question. 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I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-german-poet-goethe-once-said-that-he-who-cannot-draw-on-three/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Sophie left the den and wandered about in the large garden. She tried to forget what she had learned at school, especially in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/sophie-left-the-den-and-wandered-about-in-the-large-garden-she-tried/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [...long before the child learns to talk properly-and long before it learns to think philosophically-the world will have become a habit. A pity, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/long-before-the-child-learns-to-talk-properly-and-long-before-it/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“any one question can be more explosive than a thousand answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/any-one-question-can-be-more-explosive-than-a-thousand-answers/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“We can't own each other's past. The question is whether we have a future together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/we-can-t-own-each-other-s-past-the-question-is-whether-we-have-a/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Uno no muere en medio del quinto acto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/uno-no-muere-en-medio-del-quinto-acto/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Wer das Schicksal durchschauen will, muss es überleben.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/wer-das-schicksal-durchschauen-will-muss-es-berleben/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) [Explore all 305 Jostein Gaarder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## More Comprehend quotes > [It turns out that the God whose word will stand forever does not exist to insure our fantasies that we will not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/it-turns-out-that-the-god-whose-word-will-stand-forever-does-not/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“You know," she had said, "I believe we are all given at least one moment in our lives when the world reveals itself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-francis-slattery/you-know-she-had-said-i-believe-we-are-all-given-at-least-one-moment/) [Brian Francis Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-francis-slattery/) > [Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/our-heavenly-father-is-far-more-merciful-infinitely-more-charitable/) [Orson F. 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Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/it-used-to-take-me-forever-to-read-and-comprehend-stuff-so-i-decided/) [Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/) > [Logic can provide you with various facts and figures but can't comprehend them in their totality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/logic-can-provide-you-with-various-facts-and-figures-but-can-t/) [Avtarjeet Singh Dhanjal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/) > [They can't comprehend, or even come close to understandin him. I guess if I was borin they would love me more, guess if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/they-can-t-comprehend-or-even-come-close-to-understandin-him-i-guess/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [“I am older than you can comprehend. I am eight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-w-develin/i-am-older-than-you-can-comprehend-i-am-eight/) [S.W. Develin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-w-develin/) > [I have this esoteric sense that the roles are choosing me in a way that I don't fully comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/i-have-this-esoteric-sense-that-the-roles-are-choosing-me-in-a-way/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [“You’ll only know the answers once you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/you-ll-only-know-the-answers-once-you-love/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [I can't comprehend that I'm in the film of 'Les Miserables.' It's one of those dreams I thought would be unattainable for someone like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-barks/i-can-t-comprehend-that-i-m-in-the-film-of-les-miserables-it-s-one-of/) [Samantha Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-barks/) > [“They say it takes a long time to comprehend a tragedy. You're numb. You can't adequately accept the grim reality. 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