--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who understand only what can be…" description: "\"Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.\" — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png" --- # Those who understand only what can be explained understand… ![“Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.” quote by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png) > “Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.” [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding only what can be explained limits knowledge. **In simple terms:** Only explaining what is explainable restricts understanding. Key Takeaway Embrace mystery to expand knowledge. Themes knowledge explanation limits Mood curious thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - science - art - daily life - learning - innovation Key Concepts philosophy epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What unexplainable aspects intrigue you? - How can we value the unknown? A Different Perspective Some phenomena may remain unknowable despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/they-understand-but-a-little-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [If I wanted you to understand it, I would have explained it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/if-i-wanted-you-to-understand-it-i-would-have-explained-it-better/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [“I don’t think meaning is something that can be explained. You have to understand hopeful and selectively blind as the next guy, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-don-t-think-meaning-is-something-that-can-be-explained-you-have-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Sad things are beautiful in a way which can only be explained to those who already understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-mysko/sad-things-are-beautiful-in-a-way-which-can-only-be-explained-to/) [Amelia Mysko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-mysko/) > [It is better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-better-to-understand-little-than-to-misunderstand-a-lot/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Compared to gardeners, I think it is generally agreed that others understand very little about anything of consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mitchell/compared-to-gardeners-i-think-it-is-generally-agreed-that-others/) [Henry Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mitchell/) > [Society needs to condemn a little more and understand a little less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-major/society-needs-to-condemn-a-little-more-and-understand-a-little-less/) [John Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-major/) > [“the problem with being seven is that you're aware of so much and yet you understand so little”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaddey-ratner/the-problem-with-being-seven-is-that-you-re-aware-of-so-much-and-yet/) [Vaddey Ratner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaddey-ratner/) > [I think it's important for Americans to try to understand each other a little better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-think-it-s-important-for-americans-to-try-to-understand-each-other/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [ I don't understand "The Little World of the Past" \[a reference to the title of the book by Antonio Fogazzaro\] that is destined to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franca-sozzani/i-don-t-understand-the-little-world-of-the-past-a-reference-to-the/) [Franca Sozzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franca-sozzani/) > [To know a little less and to understand a little more: that, it seems to me, is our greatest need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ramsey-ullman/to-know-a-little-less-and-to-understand-a-little-more-that-it-seems/) [James Ramsey Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ramsey-ullman/) > [I understand so very little. 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Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“Much less evil would be done on earth if evil could not be done in the name of good. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/much-less-evil-would-be-done-on-earth-if-evil-could-not-be-done-in/) [Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Those whom we support hold us up in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-whom-we-support-hold-us-up-in-life/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pity is love in undress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pity-is-love-in-undress/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Nothing makes us more cowardly and unconscionable than the desire to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/nothing-makes-us-more-cowardly-and-unconscionable-than-the-desire-to/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) [Explore all 158 Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## More Explained quotes > [“Why ever are you here?“ she whispered, putting her hands to his face. “Because I love you.” In so many ways, that explained nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/why-ever-are-you-here-she-whispered-putting-her-hands-to-his-face/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [My belief is, you know, certain things have to be explained that's never been explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-belief-is-you-know-certain-things-have-to-be-explained-that-s/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Shut up,' he explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/shut-up-he-explained/) [Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/) > [Something that cannot be explained cannot be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/something-that-cannot-be-explained-cannot-be-seen/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [I think I've explained earlier on in the year that I kind of underestimated how important experience was in this series, especially when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wheldon/i-think-i-ve-explained-earlier-on-in-the-year-that-i-kind-of/) [Dan Wheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wheldon/) > [For me, art begins when there is something left that cannot be explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-kupferman/for-me-art-begins-when-there-is-something-left-that-cannot-be/) Moshe Kupferman > [“Having something explained to you does not always solve it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/having-something-explained-to-you-does-not-always-solve-it/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Could it ever be explained, how matter becomes conscious?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/could-it-ever-be-explained-how-matter-becomes-conscious/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [My doctor explained that exercise and diet changes might help and that I also might need a medication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/della-reese/my-doctor-explained-that-exercise-and-diet-changes-might-help-and/) [Della Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/della-reese/) > [“...if it's something a single book can explain, it's not worth having explained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-it-s-something-a-single-book-can-explain-it-s-not-worth-having/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [When I was young, I had this feeling that there was this handbook that I had never gotten that explained how to be, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ze-frank/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-feeling-that-there-was-this-handbook-that/) [Ze Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ze-frank/) > [Some things cannot be explained. This is part of the magic of life. There cannot be a word or an idea or a definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/some-things-cannot-be-explained-this-is-part-of-the-magic-of-life/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [I've explained before the power psychology has on the markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-regan/i-ve-explained-before-the-power-psychology-has-on-the-markets/) [Trish Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-regan/) > [“Everything can be explained to the people, on the single condition that you really want them to understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/everything-can-be-explained-to-the-people-on-the-single-condition/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) Browse all 132 Explained quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained-understand-very-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Explained" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained-understand-very-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-ex_2695743.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.” — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "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": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who understand only what can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained-understand-very-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained-understand-very-little/#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 } } ] } ```