Discovery Quote by Oswald Spengler
““The very word “discovery” has something bluntly un-Classical in it. Classical man took good care not to take the cover, the material wrapping, off anything cosmic, but to do just this is the most characteristic impulse of a Faustian nature.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Decline of the West, 1918
The term “discovery” feels un‑classical; it reflects a modern, Faustian urge to uncover and dominate the unknown.
In simple terms: Discovery shows a modern drive to uncover.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the modern impulse to explore.
Themes
exploration
modernity
philosophy
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- science
- art
- philosophical inquiry
Key Concepts
Faustian ambition
cultural critique
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the limits of relentless curiosity?
- How does this drive affect our relationship with nature?
A Different Perspective
Such impulse may neglect reverence for mystery.
![“That has been another interesting discovery: that basically a city [Lagos] could recover from a really deep, deep, deep pit.” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/61e/rem-koolhaas-5371_cities_that-has-been-another-interesting-discov_15915.jpg)
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
