--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desire to know why, and how curiosity…" description: "\"Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of kno..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg" --- # Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of… ![“Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg) > “Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intellectual curiosity drives relentless pursuit of knowledge, surpassing fleeting physical pleasures. **In simple terms:** Curiosity beats short‑term pleasure. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity. Themes knowledge curiosity pleasure Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - academic study - personal growth - research - creative work Key Concepts philosophy human motivation intellectual pursuit Questions to Reflect On - How does curiosity outweigh immediate gratification? - What fuels sustained intellectual drive? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Curiosity Lust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity-lust-3036052/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-know-241502/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Know Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-curiosity-403532/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Exceedeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-exceedeth-3036053/) [Lust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lust/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Vehemence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vehemence/) ## Related quotes > [Desire , to know why, and how, CURIOSITY; such as is in no living creature but Man ; so that Man is distinguished, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-such-as-is-in-no-living-creature/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Curiosity is the lust of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/curiosity-is-the-lust-of-the-mind/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Curiosity and lust are a potent combination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-emerson/curiosity-and-lust-are-a-potent-combination/) [Kate emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-emerson/) > [Man is distinguished not only by his reason, but also by this singular passion, from all other animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/man-is-distinguished-not-only-by-his-reason-but-also-by-this-singular/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [I have great confidence in human curiosity - even though I don't know what curiosity is from a biological point of view. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/i-have-great-confidence-in-human-curiosity-even-though-i-don-t-know/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“Miss Fitt, you know curiosity gets men killed." I grinned. "Then I daresay it's good I'm a woman." He groaned-an amused sound. "No wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-dennard/miss-fitt-you-know-curiosity-gets-men-killed-i-grinned-then-i-daresay-2/) [Susan Dennard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-dennard/) > [Children, be curious. Nothing is worse (I know it) than when curiosity stops. Nothing is more repressive than the repression of curiosity. Curiosity begets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-swift/children-be-curious-nothing-is-worse-i-know-it-than-when-curiosity/) [Graham Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-swift/) > [“Some people are meant to disappear from your life, to remain a memory, a faded possibility. A curiosity. I ought to know. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/some-people-are-meant-to-disappear-from-your-life-to-remain-a-memory/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [“Don’t think about why you question, simply don’t stop questioning. Don’t worry about what you can’t answer, and don’t try to explain what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/don-t-think-about-why-you-question-simply-don-t-stop-questioning-don/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Stupid Facebook. Some people are meant to disappear from your life, to remain a memory, a faded possibility. A curiosity. I ought to know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/stupid-facebook-some-people-are-meant-to-disappear-from-your-life-to/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [I know you got the key And, you know that it's for me It's not up to you, you know it's up to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-you-got-the-key-and-you-know-that-it-s-for-me-it-s-not-up-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/truly-mallow-yearned-to-know-everything-curiosity-was-part-of-her/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I think we all have a primal desire to know as much as we can to find out about where we come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-we-all-have-a-primal-desire-to-know-as-much-as-we-can-to-find/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [“..the writer’s obsession – the desire to know and communicate, or, rather, to know everything so as to communicate with the greatest degree of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-klima/the-writer-s-obsession-the-desire-to-know-and-communicate-or-rather/) [Ivan Klima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-klima/) > [All men by nature desire to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/all-men-by-nature-desire-to-know/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-irving/) [Browse all 2,721 Curiosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-which-is-a-lust-of-the-mind-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curiosity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-which-is-a-lust-of-the-mind-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/thomas-hobbes-1127_curiosity_desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-whi_2742186.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Desire to know why, and how curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the…” — Thomas Hobbes", "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": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Desire to know why, and how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-which-is-a-lust-of-the-mind-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/desire-to-know-why-and-how-curiosity-which-is-a-lust-of-the-mind-that/#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 } } ] } ```