---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desire for beauty will endure and…"
description: "\"“Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.”\" — Richard O. Prum"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg"
---

#  Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for…

![“Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.” quote by Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg)

> ““Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.””

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The pursuit of beauty can distract from or weaken the commitment to truth.

**In simple terms:** Beauty can cloud truth.

Key Takeaway

Balance aesthetic and factual values.

Themes

beauty truth philosophy

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

- art criticism
- scientific research
- media consumption

Key Concepts

aesthetic bias epistemology

Questions to Reflect On

- Is beauty more important than truth in your field?
- How do you guard against aesthetic bias?

A Different Perspective

Truth may be sacrificed for appeal.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aesthetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-endure-1185448/) [Darwinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinism/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-beauty-584316/) [Desire Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-truth-517254/) [Endure Undermine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure-undermine-3349806/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Feedback-loop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feedback-loop-62594/) [Mate-choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mate-choice-118768/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Ronald-a-fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ronald-a-fisher-160727/) [Sexual-selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-selection-168241/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Undermine Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undermine-desire-3349805/)

## Related quotes

> [“In a Fisherian world, animals are slaves to evolutionary fashion, evolving extravagant and arbitrary displays and tastes that are all "meaningless"; they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/in-a-fisherian-world-animals-are-slaves-to-evolutionary-fashion/)

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

> [“A kind of bias I share says that if a human thinks symmetry is important it may or may not be, but if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trivers/a-kind-of-bias-i-share-says-that-if-a-human-thinks-symmetry-is/)

[Robert Trivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trivers/)

> [“As a rule, sexually selected traits tend to be more condition-dependent --and thus more vulnerable to dysfunctions-- than other phenotypes. This contributes to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-del-giudice/as-a-rule-sexually-selected-traits-tend-to-be-more-condition/)

[Marco del Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-del-giudice/)

> [“ Ronald Fisher was a genius who almost single-handedly created the foundations for modern statistical science.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-hald/ronald-fisher-was-a-genius-who-almost-single-handedly-created-the/)

[Anders Hald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-hald/)

> [“The more you know, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/the-more-you-know-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [“David Buss has amassed a lot of evidence that human females across many cultures tend to prefer males who have high social status, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-miller/david-buss-has-amassed-a-lot-of-evidence-that-human-females-across/)

[Geoffrey Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-miller/)

> [“Because we bump into reinforcing loops so often, it is handy to know this shortcut: The time it takes for an exponentially growing stock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-h-meadows/because-we-bump-into-reinforcing-loops-so-often-it-is-handy-to-know/)

[Donella H. Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-h-meadows/)

## More by Richard O. Prum

> [“When beauty happens, pleasure happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/when-beauty-happens-pleasure-happens/)

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

> [“In a Fisherian world, animals are slaves to evolutionary fashion, evolving extravagant and arbitrary displays and tastes that are all "meaningless"; they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/in-a-fisherian-world-animals-are-slaves-to-evolutionary-fashion/)

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

> [“Females are frightened by aggressive male displays they actually prefer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/females-are-frightened-by-aggressive-male-displays-they-actually/)

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

> [“Sexual autonomy is evolution engine of beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/sexual-autonomy-is-evolution-engine-of-beauty/)

[Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

[Explore all 5 Richard O. Prum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/)

## More Aesthetics quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/)

[W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/)

> [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/)

[Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/)

> [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/)

[Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/)

> [“No man sings as beautifully as when his song is accompanied by a woman’s voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/no-man-sings-as-beautifully-as-when-his-song-is-accompanied-by-a/)

[Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/)

> [ \[Alexei Nemov\] has the best feel for the aesthetics of the sport. He doesn't just do a skill; he makes it look gorgeous. Some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-vidmar/alexei-nemov-has-the-best-feel-for-the-aesthetics-of-the-sport-he/)

[Peter Vidmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-vidmar/)

> [The great work of art is the complete banality, and the fault with most banalities is that they are not banal enough. Banality here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-great-work-of-art-is-the-complete-banality-and-the-fault-with/)

[Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/)

> [I find the aesthetics of the 20th century hopelessly barren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-find-the-aesthetics-of-the-20th-century-hopelessly-barren/)

[Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/)

> [For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be they dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/for-it-is-a-mad-world-and-it-will-get-madder-if-we-allow-the/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [We’re surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It’s tempting to think it’s because the people who use them don’t care-just like the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-re-surrounded-by-anonymous-poorly-made-objects-it-s-tempting-to/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/after-a-certain-high-level-of-technical-skill-is-achieved-science-and/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [There's only so much you can do until you get on set and see the aesthetics of what you're dealing with. Then you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-urban/there-s-only-so-much-you-can-do-until-you-get-on-set-and-see-the/)

[Karl Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-urban/)

> [In our view the Olympic idea involves a strong physical culture supplemented on the one hand by mobility, what is so aptly called 'fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/in-our-view-the-olympic-idea-involves-a-strong-physical-culture/)

[Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/)

[Browse all 302 Aesthetics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard O. Prum"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-undermine-the-desire-for-truth/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aesthetics"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-undermine-the-desire-for-truth/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/richard-o-prum-64178_aesthetics_desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-underm_1164727.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.” — Richard O. Prum",
                "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": "Richard O. Prum",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Desire for beauty will endure and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-undermine-the-desire-for-truth/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-undermine-the-desire-for-truth/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
