He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder.

Summary

This quote suggests that those who believe they have all the answers or the entire picture at the start of something are either remarkably knowledgeable or incredibly naive. Regardless of whether their certainty is justified, they are bound to be unhappy because they have prematurely closed themselves off to the beauty of uncertainty and the potential for new discoveries. By assuming they know it all, they have hindered their ability to embrace the joy and curiosity that comes with not knowing, effectively stifling the sense of wonder that makes life interesting.

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