“Knowledge is invariably a matter of degree: you cannot put your finger upon even the simplest datum and say this we know.”

Meaning

This points to humility about what we think we know. The line suggests that certainty is always partial, even around simple facts, so knowledge should be treated as graded, cautious, and revisable rather than absolute. It lands in arguments where someone speaks too confidently, or in study and research, where the smallest claim still rests on assumptions and interpretation.

When It Was Said

Who It Was Said To

Historical Context

Source

Original Language & Translation

Originally said in English.

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