Revel’s main thesis is that the concept of “useful” knowledge is a myth. He contends that the vast bulk of information gained through learning and study serves no useful purpose, and that the stress on utility has led to a stifling of cognitive curiosity. Depending to Revel, the belief that information is essential for solving concrete earthly problems is a fallacy, and that the search of knowledge for its own sake is often at odds with the quest of realistic solutions.
Revel’s main argument is that the concept of “useful” information is a myth. He contends that the vast majority of knowledge obtained through schooling and study serves no practical goal, and that the stress on usefulness has led to a suppressing of cognitive interest. According to Revel, the idea that information is essential for fixing real-world troubles is a misconception, and that the quest of information for its own benefit is frequently at variance with the pursuit of practical resolutions. La connaissance inutile.Jean-Francois Revel.pdf
The myth of Utility
The Delusion of Practicality
In the sphere of intellectual debate, few writings have ignited as much curiosity and argument as Jean-François Revel’s “La connaissance inutile.” First published in 1976, this influential book disputes the accepted belief that knowledge is influence, alternatively positing that the acquisition of understanding sometimes serves no functional purpose. Revel, a French thinker and journalist, offers a harsh review of the scholarly establishment, claiming that the quest of knowledge has grown into an end in itself, rather than a means to an end. Revel’s main thesis is that the concept of
That Futility of Information: Examining Jean-François Revel’s “La connaissance inutile” Revel’s main argument is that the concept of
The futility of understanding: examining Jean-François Revel’s “La connaissance inutile”