History had been man's effort to accomodate himself to what he could not do. Amereican history in the 20th century would, more than ever before, test man's ability to accomodate himself to all the new things he could do.
Daniel J. BoorstinRead
The most promising words ever written on the maps of human knowledge are terra incognita, unknown territory.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The idea of 'unknown territory' symbolizes the potential for discovery and learning in areas yet unexplored.
Daniel J. Boorstin highlights the significance of embracing the unknown in the pursuit of knowledge. By referring to 'terra incognita,' or unknown territory, he suggests that some of the most exciting opportunities for learning and understanding lie in areas that we have not yet charted. This encourages a mindset of curiosity and exploration, reminding us that much of what we can learn about the world remains undiscovered, waiting for brave thinkers to venture forth.
Themes
ExplorationKnowledgeDiscoveryCuriosityLearning
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about innovation and creativity.
More from Daniel J. Boorstin
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Human models are more vivid and more persuasive than explicit moral commands.
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Knowledge is not simply another commodity. On the contrary. Knowledge is never used up. It increases by diffusion and grows by dispersion.
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We need not be theologians to see that we have shifted responsibility for making the world interesting from God to the newspaperman.
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There was a time when the reader of an unexciting newspaper would remark, 'How dull is the world today!' Nowadays he says, 'What a dull newspaper!'
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