--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can know a thing to death and be for…" description: "\"“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it.”\" — Marilynne Robinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/marilynne-robinson-602_death_you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for_2811990.png" --- # You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes… ![“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it.” quote by Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/marilynne-robinson-602_death_you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for_2811990.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/marilynne-robinson-602_death_you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for_2811990.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/430/marilynne-robinson-602_death_you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for_2811990.png) > ““You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it.”” [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense study can coexist with profound ignorance about the subject’s essence. **In simple terms:** Knowing facts doesn’t equal true understanding. Key Takeaway Seek depth beyond surface knowledge. Themes knowledge ignorance humility Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - personal study - skill acquisition Key Concepts epistemology critical thinking learning Questions to Reflect On - What does true understanding look like for you? - How can you test if knowledge is superficial? A Different Perspective Depth requires experiential insight, not just information. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ## Related quotes > [“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it. 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I'm always holding onto the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/the-only-thing-that-you-can-do-is-do-jobs-and-see-if-people-respond/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Perhaps there will be prattlers who, although completely ignorant of mathematics, nevertheless take it upon themselves to pass judgment on mathematical questions, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/perhaps-there-will-be-prattlers-who-although-completely-ignorant-of/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [I'm sure that President Johnson would never have pursued the war in Vietnam if he'd ever had a Fulbright to Japan, or say Bangkok,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/i-m-sure-that-president-johnson-would-never-have-pursued-the-war-in/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [“We can be completely ignorant about how or why something works and yet still relish the results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-detweiler/we-can-be-completely-ignorant-about-how-or-why-something-works-and/) [Craig Detweiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-detweiler/) > [Until you know the whole thing you will NEVER understand me and my actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/until-you-know-the-whole-thing-you-will-never-understand-me-and-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [War stinks! There's nothing good about it. But you know the whole thing, it's you or them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-thornton/war-stinks-there-s-nothing-good-about-it-but-you-know-the-whole-thing/) [Michael E. Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-thornton/) > [I don't pretend to be an expert on intellectual property law, but I do know one thing. 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