--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The curiosity of knowing things has been…" description: "\"The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for a scourge.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg" --- # The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for… ![“The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for a scourge.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg) > “The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for a scourge.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human curiosity can be a double‑edged sword, bringing knowledge but also suffering. **In simple terms:** Curiosity brings both knowledge and pain. Key Takeaway Balance inquiry with wisdom. Themes knowledge human nature pain Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - academic research - personal introspection - creative problem solving Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How can we channel curiosity constructively? - When does curiosity become harmful? A Different Perspective Curiosity can lead to overanalysis and anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Knowing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-things/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Pride and curiosity are the two scourges of our souls. The latter prompts us to poke our noses into everything, and the former forbids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/pride-and-curiosity-are-the-two-scourges-of-our-souls-the-latter/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Knowing what things are not is often as important as knowing what they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/knowing-what-things-are-not-is-often-as-important-as-knowing-what/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [So you used to know everything?" She wrinkled her nose. "Everybody did. I told you. It's nothing special, knowing how things work. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-you-used-to-know-everything-she-wrinkled-her-nose-everybody-did-i/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Knowing things halfway is a greater success than knowing things completely: it takes things to be simpler than they really are andso makes its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/knowing-things-halfway-is-a-greater-success-than-knowing-things/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I have a certain sensibility that I bring to my writing that comes from knowing two things: what I as a reader like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/i-have-a-certain-sensibility-that-i-bring-to-my-writing-that-comes/) [Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/) > [“How did my parents live before texting? Before the internet? I’m used to knowing things and all of this unknowing is driving me mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/how-did-my-parents-live-before-texting-before-the-internet-i-m-used/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [The one knowing what is profitable, and not the man knowing many things, is wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-one-knowing-what-is-profitable-and-not-the-man-knowing-many/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“What's the fun in always knowing where things will take you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/what-s-the-fun-in-always-knowing-where-things-will-take-you/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“Knowing things will not harm you. Doing them is a different matter. What you know will be a protection. What you do ruins -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/knowing-things-will-not-harm-you-doing-them-is-a-different-matter/) [Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/) > [“None of them knew the downright pleasure of enchantment, of not suspecting but knowing the things behind things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/none-of-them-knew-the-downright-pleasure-of-enchantment-of-not/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/knowing-how-things-work-is-the-basis-for-appreciation-and-is-thus-a/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [I'm a private person, I'm shy about people knowing things. And I'm really shy about my medical (care). It would be good if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-fawcett/i-m-a-private-person-i-m-shy-about-people-knowing-things-and-i-m/) [Farrah Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-fawcett/) > [True scholarship consists in knowing not what things exist, but what they mean; it is not memory but judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/true-scholarship-consists-in-knowing-not-what-things-exist-but-what/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [“To act without knowing why; to do things as they have always been done, without asking why; to engage in an activity all one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencious/to-act-without-knowing-why-to-do-things-as-they-have-always-been-done/) Mencious > [“They knew a tremendous number of things — But was it worthwhile knowing all these things if they did not know the one important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/they-knew-a-tremendous-number-of-things-but-was-it-worthwhile-knowing/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Curiosity quotes > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/) [Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Curiosity Can Kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anison/curiosity-can-kill/) [Anison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anison/) > [“So curious you must be. Like little calves poking their heads through the fence with big eyes and a headful of curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carew-papritz/so-curious-you-must-be-like-little-calves-poking-their-heads-through/) [Carew Papritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carew-papritz/) > [ “\[T\]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. \[...\] The point is, perhaps, that I am not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no-meaning-even-though-it-seems/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [How do we know that we have a right to kill creatures that we are so little above, as dogs, for our curiosity or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/how-do-we-know-that-we-have-a-right-to-kill-creatures-that-we-are-so/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) Unknow > [There is nothing so carking as the pangs of unsatisfied curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/there-is-nothing-so-carking-as-the-pangs-of-unsatisfied-curiosity/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/) [G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/) > [As long as your curiosity is greater than your fear, you will move forward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/as-long-as-your-curiosity-is-greater-than-your-fear-you-will-move/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it sure has earned a lot of people graduate degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-irving/curiosity-may-have-killed-the-cat-but-it-sure-has-earned-a-lot-of/) Robyn Irving [Browse all 2,721 Curiosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for a scourge.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been-given-to-man-for-a-scourge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curiosity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been-given-to-man-for-a-scourge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/michel-de-montaigne-142_curiosity_the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been_355279.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The curiosity of knowing things has been given to man for a scourge.” — Michel de Montaigne", "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": "Michel de Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The curiosity of knowing things has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been-given-to-man-for-a-scourge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-curiosity-of-knowing-things-has-been-given-to-man-for-a-scourge/#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 } } ] } ```