Curiosity is lying in wait for every secret.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Avoid him who, for mere curiosity, asks three questions running about a thing that cannot interest him.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
Curiosity is the lust of the mind.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
Curiosity is the direct incontinence of the spirit.
—Jeremy Taylor
Certainly, Gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinions high respect; their business unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasure, his satisfactions, to theirs, and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure, no, nor from the law and the Constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
When curiosity turns to serious matters, it’s called research.
—Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916) Austrian Novelist
When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
—Walt Disney (1901–66) American Entrepreneur
The sun shines and warms and lights us and we have no curiosity to know why this is so; but we ask the reason of all evil, of pain, and hunger, and mosquitoes and silly people.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Curiosity is one of the lowest of the human faculties. You will have noticed in daily life that when people are inquisitive they nearly always have bad memories and are usually stupid at bottom.
—E. M. Forster (1879–1970) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist
Where curiosity is not the purveyor, detraction will soon be starved.
—Latin Proverb
“Necessity is the mother of invention” is a silly proverb. “Necessity is the mother of futile dodges” is much closer to the truth. The basis of growth of modern invention is science, and science is almost wholly the outgrowth of pleasurable intellectual curiosity.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
Desire to know why, and how—curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge—exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
There are two sorts of curiosity—the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance on the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows on beneath the surface of things.
—Robert Wilson Lynd (1879–1949) Irish Essayist, Critic
Go around asking a lot of damn fool questions and taking chances. Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities, and only by gambling can we take advantage of them.
—Unknown
Inquisitiveness or curiosity is a kernel of the forbidden fruit, which still sticketh in the throat of a natural man, and sometimes to the danger of his choking.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
—Carl Sagan (1934–96) American Astronomer
Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Curiosity is only vanity. Most frequently we wish not to know, but to talk. We would not take a sea voyage for the sole pleasure of seeing without hope of ever telling.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
To be curious about that which is not one’s concern while still in ignorance of oneself is ridiculous.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.
—Rachel Carson (1907–64) American Naturalist, Science Writer
Curiosity is the key to creativity.
—Akio Morita (1921–99) Japanese Entrepreneur
I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent; curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism have brought me to my ideas.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
That low vice, curiosity!
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A man’s interest in the world is only an overflow from his interest in himself.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
—Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) American Playwright
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
—Walt Disney (1901–66) American Entrepreneur
Newspapers always excite curiosity. No one ever puts one down without the feeling of disappointment.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
One of the secrets of life is to keep our intellectual curiosity acute.
—William Lyon Phelps (1865–1943) American Author, Critic, Scholar
Curiosity is free-wheeling intelligence.
—Alistair Cooke (1908–2004) British-American Journalist, Broadcaster