Life has obliged him to remember so much useful knowledge that he has lost not only his history, but his whole original cargo of useless knowledge; history, languages, literatures, the higher mathematics, or what you will - are all gone.

Quote by Albert J Nock

Topics: Albert J Nock Quotes

Diligent as one must be in learning, one must be as diligent in forgetting; otherwise...

Diligent as one must be in learning, one must be as diligent in forgetting; otherwise...

Useless knowledge can be made directly contributory to a force of sound and disinterested public...

Useless knowledge can be made directly contributory to a force of sound and disinterested public...

As far as I know, I have no pride of opinion.

As far as I know, I have no pride of opinion.

The mind is like the stomach. It is not how much you put into it...

The mind is like the stomach. It is not how much you put into it...

As might be supposed, my parents were quite poor, but we somehow never seemed to...

As might be supposed, my parents were quite poor, but we somehow never seemed to...

The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always...

The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always...

The position of modern science, as far as an ignorant man of letters can understand...

The position of modern science, as far as an ignorant man of letters can understand...

The university's business is the conservation of useless knowledge; and what the university itself apparently...

The university's business is the conservation of useless knowledge; and what the university itself apparently...

Considered now as a possession, one may define culture as the residuum of a large...

Considered now as a possession, one may define culture as the residuum of a large...

Someone asked me years ago if it were true that I disliked Jews, and I...

Someone asked me years ago if it were true that I disliked Jews, and I...

The positive testimony of history is that the State invariably had its origin in conquest...

The positive testimony of history is that the State invariably had its origin in conquest...

Organized Christianity has always represented immortality as a sort of common heritage; but I never...

Organized Christianity has always represented immortality as a sort of common heritage; but I never...

The business of a scientific school is the dissemination of useful knowledge, and this is...

The business of a scientific school is the dissemination of useful knowledge, and this is...

I am said to be difficult of acquaintance, unwilling to meet any one half way,...

I am said to be difficult of acquaintance, unwilling to meet any one half way,...

Learning has always been made much of, but forgetting has always been deprecated; therefore pedantry...

Learning has always been made much of, but forgetting has always been deprecated; therefore pedantry...

Perhaps one reason for the falling-off of belief in a continuance of conscious existence is...

Perhaps one reason for the falling-off of belief in a continuance of conscious existence is...

Like Prince von Bismarck in diplomacy, I have no secrets.

Like Prince von Bismarck in diplomacy, I have no secrets.

Perhaps the prevalence of pedantry may be largely accounted for by the common error of...

Perhaps the prevalence of pedantry may be largely accounted for by the common error of...

It is unfortunately none too well understood that, just as the State has no money...

It is unfortunately none too well understood that, just as the State has no money...

Assuming that man has a distinct spiritual nature, a soul, why should it be thought...

Assuming that man has a distinct spiritual nature, a soul, why should it be thought...