What is a concise way to say that desire drives discovery?

Question

I think our human nature compels us to seek something if we want it earnestly enough as long as there is no absolute proof that what we want doesn't exist. If we have proof that it doesn't exist, then seeking it is delusion but otherwise it is a reasonable thing to do, I think.

I also think that if we aren't very passionate about wanting it, then we demand proof that it exists before we will seek it and we will weigh the effort required to seek it against the possible gain.

It could be God we are seeking, but it could other things such as extra terrestrial life, for example. If you agree with me, what I am asking for is a concise way to say all of the above.

Greed is good. Okay but greed doesn't sound like a good thing and discovery is good.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Okay but sounds like the searcher is inventing the evidence and I didn't want that implication.

Thanks answerer 2. I might be able to work some of those words into it.

Answer 1

The phrase, "Necessity is the mother of invention" comes to mind but let me back up first. I think you should be aware of the belief that if you look for something long enough and hard enough, you will find it. Which is to say that you will create it. I feel that the more passionate about finding something we are, the more likely we will delude ourselves into believing we have found it. The mind is notorious for it's powers of delusion and denial and we can only really rely on our evidence if we have absolutely no bias about the outcome of our research. I can basically agree with the statement of the second paragraph up until "...we will weigh the effort required to seek it against the possible gain." Except that it has too many variables such as: we must consider the consequences of not seeking the thing, the ego, desperation, other options and pressures felt by the seeker, the fact that the act of seeking is an end in and of itself to some, as well as myriad other motivations for one to seek something. I'm afraid that the difficulty in stating your axiom concisely stems from its conceptual inconsistencies. Overlooking those, one could say "If its there, it will be found. if there is doubt, it may not be worth it. Or to put it into terms of a directive: If you're sure of it, go for it. If you're not sure, then quit while you're ahead." I hope that helps and that I've understood the question correctly. Feel free to email me if you think I can help further.

Answer 2

according to my mother the first phrase I spoke as a infant. was

" I will, I want to! "

Seems to me even as a young child I was determined to experiment, to seek and to experience. I do not think this is unique. I think this is the drive that we all are born with; to discover and explore our world..

Answer 3

If you truly want to know something, and are passionate about it, you will somehow find it, or figure it out. Only if you truly want to know, if it is your destiny and you can forget about everything else just for it, will you one day discover it.

Answer 4

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Answer 5

greed is good