Begging Quote by Miguel de Unamuno
“All knowledge has an ultimate goal. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is, say what you will, nothing but a dismal begging of the question.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Tragic Sense of Life,” 1912, philosophical work
Knowledge pursued solely for its own sake lacks purpose and can become a hollow, self‑indulgent quest.
In simple terms: Knowledge needs a purpose beyond itself.
Key Takeaway
Seek knowledge that serves a higher aim.
Themes
philosophy
purpose
intellectual humility
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- personal growth
- policy making
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
existentialism
meaning
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- What higher purpose can your learning serve?
- Can knowledge be valuable without a clear goal?
A Different Perspective
Pure curiosity can still yield valuable insights; purpose may be subjective.
![“It [knowledge] is clearly related to information, which we can now measure; and an economist especially is tempted to regard knowledge as a kind of capital structure, corresponding to information as an income flow. Knowledge, that is to say, is some kind of improbable structure or stock made up…” quote by Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e68/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_arrangements_it-knowledge-is-clearly-related-to-infor_3219270.jpg)
