The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.
Interpretation
Knowledge leads to the ability to take action, and all speculation ultimately serves a practical purpose.
In this quote, Thomas Hobbes suggests that the ultimate goal of acquiring knowledge is to empower individuals to take action. He posits that all speculation or theoretical thought has its purpose in informing and guiding real-world actions, emphasizing the importance of knowledge as a precursor to power and practical execution in life.
In practice
This quote can be used in a graduation speech to inspire students about the importance of applying their knowledge.
Baptism is the sacrament of allegiance of them that are to be received into the Kingdom of God, that is to say, into Eternal life, that is to say, to Remission of Sin. For as Eternal life was lost by the committing, so it is recovered by the remitting of men's sins.
Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.
Scientia potentia est, sed parva; quia scientia egregia rara est, nec proinde apparens nisi paucissimis, et in paucis rebus. Scientiae enim ea natura est, ut esse intelligi non possit, nisi ab illis qui sunt scientia praediti.
They that approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that dislike it, heresy; and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion.
In a weird way I must have loved my little collection of hurts and wounds. They provided me with some real nice sympathy, with the feeling I was exceptional... What a special case I was.
If you're going to lick the icing off somebody else's cake you won't be nourished and it won't do you any good,--or you might find the cake had caraway seeds and you hate them.
Light troubles speak; the weighty are struck dumb.
All my life I have risen regularly at four o'clock and have gone into the woods and talked to God. There He gives me my orders for the day.
Intelligence, guided by kindness, is the highest wisdom. . . .
Wisdom is nothing but a preparation of the soul, a capacity, a secret art of thinking, feeling and breathing thoughts of unity at every moment of life.
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