Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know -- and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use it to destroy ourselves? Even if that is so, knowledge remains better than ignorance. It is better to know -- even if the knowledge endures only for the moment that comes before destruction -- than to gain eternal life at the price of a dull and swinish lack of comprehension of a universe that swirls unseen before us in all its wonder. That was the choice of Achilles, and it is mine, too.

Summary

This quote reflects on the precarious nature of knowledge and the potential dangers it may bring. It acknowledges the possibility that with immense knowledge comes the risk of misuse and self-destruction. However, the quote argues that despite this risk, knowledge is still preferable to ignorance. It emphasizes the value of understanding and appreciating the vast wonders of the universe, even if that understanding is fleeting and exists only before inevitable destruction. This choice, like that of the legendary hero Achilles, is seen as standing on the side of knowledge and its fleeting brilliance over eternal life without comprehension.

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