A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
One of the things that distinguishes man from the other animals is that he wants to know things, wants to find out what reality is like, simply for the sake of knowing. When that desire is completely quenched in anyone, I think he has become something less than human.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The pursuit of knowledge is a fundamental part of being human.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes the intrinsic human desire to seek knowledge and understand reality, suggesting that this pursuit is a defining characteristic of humanity. When an individual no longer embodies this curiosity, they become, in essence, diminished in their humanity, losing a vital connection to what it means to be alive and aware.
Themes
KnowledgeCuriosityHumanityUnderstandingReality
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of education and lifelong learning, you could use this quote to highlight the significance of curiosity.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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