--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They are curious, embracing novelty…" description: "\"“They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior as well as in body”\" — Peter Godfrey-Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg" --- # They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior… ![“They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior as well as in body” quote by Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg) > ““They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior as well as in body”” [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Curiosity drives novelty‑seeking behavior, leading to adaptable, protean forms in both mind and body. **In simple terms:** Curiosity fuels adaptable change. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity for flexible growth. Themes curiosity adaptability novelty Mood inspired thoughtful Type psychological evolutionary When to use this quote - education - innovation - career development - personal growth Key Concepts evolution cognitive flexibility behavioral plasticity Questions to Reflect On - What role does curiosity play in personal evolution? - How can we balance stability with adaptability? A Different Perspective Excessive novelty seeking can cause instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Embracing Novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embracing-novelty-4319012/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelty/) [Novelty Protean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelty-protean-4319014/) [Protean Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protean-behavior-4319013/) ## Related quotes > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [There are three things which the public will always clamour for, sooner or later; namely: novelty, novelty, novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hood/there-are-three-things-which-the-public-will-always-clamour-for/) [Thomas Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hood/) > [Of all the passions of mankind, the love of novelty most rules the mind. In search of this, from realm to realm we roam.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-foote/of-all-the-passions-of-mankind-the-love-of-novelty-most-rules-the/) [Shelby Foote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-foote/) > [A novelty in Polish filmmaking was that it was possible to find funds for a big production. However, at the same time, the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/a-novelty-in-polish-filmmaking-was-that-it-was-possible-to-find-funds/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [The genuinely significant creation, whether an idea, or a work of art, or a scientific discovery, is most likely to be seen at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/the-genuinely-significant-creation-whether-an-idea-or-a-work-of-art/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [There is change by necessity or adaptation, and there is contrived change or novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/there-is-change-by-necessity-or-adaptation-and-there-is-contrived/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [It is this union of passionate interest in the detailed facts with equal devotion to abstract generalisation which forms the novelty in our present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-this-union-of-passionate-interest-in-the-detailed-facts-with/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Novelty has charms that our minds can hardly withstand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/novelty-has-charms-that-our-minds-can-hardly-withstand/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [At length weariness succeeds to labor, and the mind lies at ease in the contemplation of her own attainments without any desire of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/at-length-weariness-succeeds-to-labor-and-the-mind-lies-at-ease-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Monotony and repetition are characteristic of many parts of life, but these do not become sources of conscious discomfort until novelty and entertainment are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-catherine-bateson/monotony-and-repetition-are-characteristic-of-many-parts-of-life-but/) [Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-catherine-bateson/) > [Survival prospects are poor for an animal that is not suspicious of novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/survival-prospects-are-poor-for-an-animal-that-is-not-suspicious-of/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. But rarely, very rarely novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/in-these-days-of-faith-cures-and-hypnotism-and-telepathy-and/) [Walter de la Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [Time is a corrosive fluid, dissolving motivation, destroying novelty, and leaching the joy from life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/time-is-a-corrosive-fluid-dissolving-motivation-destroying-novelty/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/we-only-know-a-tiny-proportion-about-the-complexity-of-the-natural/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) ## More by Peter Godfrey-Smith > [“But Toulmin and Goodfield's Fabric of the Heavens (1962.), an old book recently reprinted, is my favorite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/but-toulmin-and-goodfield-s-fabric-of-the-heavens-1962-an-old-book/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“Crabs and some shrimp, in contrast, will groom injured areas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/crabs-and-some-shrimp-in-contrast-will-groom-injured-areas/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [In a world full of audio visual marvels, may words matter to you and be full of magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/in-a-world-full-of-audio-visual-marvels-may-words-matter-to-you-and/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“Octopuses in at least two aquariums have learned to turn off the lights”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/octopuses-in-at-least-two-aquariums-have-learned-to-turn-off-the/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“For an octopus, its arms are partly self”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/for-an-octopus-its-arms-are-partly-self/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“All living things affect their environment by making and transforming chemicals, and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/all-living-things-affect-their-environment-by-making-and-transforming/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“if you focus on the large fossils, you miss most of the life that is present”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/if-you-focus-on-the-large-fossils-you-miss-most-of-the-life-that-is/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“Inner speech seems to be an important part of System 2 thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/inner-speech-seems-to-be-an-important-part-of-system-2-thinking/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“our most recent common ancestor—a worm-like creature”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/our-most-recent-common-ancestor-a-worm-like-creature/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“When you dive into the sea, you are diving into the origin of us all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/when-you-dive-into-the-sea-you-are-diving-into-the-origin-of-us-all/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“seems plausible that an animal might feel pain or thirst without having an “inner model” of the world,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/seems-plausible-that-an-animal-might-feel-pain-or-thirst-without/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“What does it feel like to be an octopus? To be a jellyfish? Does it feel like anything at all? Which were the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/what-does-it-feel-like-to-be-an-octopus-to-be-a-jellyfish-does-it/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“Why don’t we all live for a longer time? On mountainsides in California and Nevada there are pine trees that were alive when Julius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/why-don-t-we-all-live-for-a-longer-time-on-mountainsides-in/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“multitude of micro-actions must be shaped into a macro-action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/multitude-of-micro-actions-must-be-shaped-into-a-macro-action/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) > [“System 2 thinking tries to follow proper rules of reasoning,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/system-2-thinking-tries-to-follow-proper-rules-of-reasoning/) [Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) [Explore all 25 Peter Godfrey-Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/) ## More Curious quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“The process of becoming curious is the movement away from simply living by what and how, and moving into the beautifully ambiguous and possibility-laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-tygrett/the-process-of-becoming-curious-is-the-movement-away-from-simply/) [Casey Tygrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-tygrett/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“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/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [Easy, Curious George! Get your grubby hands off of that wheel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/easy-curious-george-get-your-grubby-hands-off-of-that-wheel/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [We want to explore. We're curious people. Look back over history, people have put their lives at stake to go out and explore ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-collins/we-want-to-explore-we-re-curious-people-look-back-over-history-people/) [Eileen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-collins/) > [When I think about unique insight, what I think about is here's your opportunity to tell me something that I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/when-i-think-about-unique-insight-what-i-think-about-is-here-s-your/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) [Browse all 2,160 Curious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior as well as in body”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Godfrey-Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-protean-in-behavior-as-well-as-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-protean-in-behavior-as-well-as-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_habits_they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-prote_1308044.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They are curious, embracing novelty, protean in behavior as well as in body” — Peter Godfrey-Smith", "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": "Peter Godfrey-Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They are curious, embracing novelty, protean...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-protean-in-behavior-as-well-as-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-godfrey-smith/they-are-curious-embracing-novelty-protean-in-behavior-as-well-as-in/#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 } } ] } ```