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Articles

On ‘Useless’ Knowledge

William Tam finds uses for philosophy and other ‘useless’ arts.

The ancient Greeks pursued mathematics and astronomy for their own sake. They did not study them out of their wish to be accountants or season predictors. Their sole desire was to gain a better understanding of the world. We read Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Walt Whitman’s poetry. Their lines strike us as beautiful as a comet across the sky – so much so that we are compelled to recite all the famous verses.

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