托马斯·马尔萨斯：人口论·摘录 179

The obscurity that involves all metaphysical subjects appears to me, in the same manner, peculiarly calculated to add to that class of excitements which arise from the thirst of knowledge. It is probable that man, while on earth, will never be able to attain complete satisfaction on these subjects; but this is by no means a reason that he should not engage in them. The darkness that surrounds these interesting topics of human curiosity may be intended to furnish endless motives to intellectual activity and exertion. The constant effort to dispel this darkness, even if it fail of success, invigorates and improves the thinking faculty. If the subjects of human inquiry were once exhausted, mind would probably stagnate; but the infinitely diversified forms and operations of nature, together with the endless food for speculation which metaphysical subjects offer, prevent the possibility that such a period should ever arrive.

出处： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4239
定位：Excerpt 179 · 核对日期：2026-10-19 · 核验：短摘录

公版作品；原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg，仅摘录段落并附全书链接。

本文本为公版；底本与原文链接见上。 版权

← 返回原文库