It takes a wonderful brain and exquisite senses to produce a few stupid ideas.
George SantayanaRead
Music is essentially useless, as is life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that both music and life may seem to lack inherent utility or purpose.
George Santayana's quote reflects a philosophical perspective on the subjective nature of utility and meaning in life. By stating that music is essentially useless, he prompts us to consider the idea that life's value is not solely defined by practical utility but also by the beauty and experiences it offers, even if they appear pointless. This challenges the notion that everything must serve a practical purpose and encourages a deeper appreciation for art and existence.
Themes
MusicLifeUtilityPhilosophyMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the value of art in society.
More from George Santayana
All quotes βThe working of great institutions is mainly the result of a vast mass of routine, petty malice, self interest, carelessness and sheer mistake. Only a residual fraction is thought.
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There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval. The dark background which death supplies brings out the tender colours of life in all their purity.
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Not to believe in love is a great sign of dullness. There are some people so indirect and lumbering that they think all real affection rests on circumstantial evidence.
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To feel beauty is a better thing than to understand how we come to feel it. To have imagination and taste, to love the best, to be carried by the contemplation of nature to a vivid faith in the ideal, all this is more, a great deal more, than any science can hope to be.
George SantayanaRead
The vital straining towards an ideal, definite but latent, when it dominates a whole life, may express that ideal more fully than could the best chosen words.
George SantayanaRead
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