which urge is stronger: man's thirst for knowledge, or his hunger for pleasure?

Question

...can either truly be satisfied?

Answer 1

Since hunger for pleasure (at least in my case) can be sated for at least a little while, but my thirst for knowledge is seemingly always on that path of enlightenment, I'd have to say knowledge.

Further, I'd give up some pleasure and even endure some pain to gain knowledge, but I wouldn't give up knowledge for pleasure... I even gain knowledge when acquiring pleasure at times.

Deeper yet for me, I gain pleasure from knowledge...

For this man, knowledge is far and away the stronger urge.

Peace

Answer 2

Hi Patzky,
A great question.
Will our thirst for knowledge ever be quenched? I don’t think so. We drink a glass of water to quench our thirst but not long after, we might feel thirsty again. Just as whoever drinks from the spring of knowledge will return again and again for each time the thirst is satisfied, a new thirst will grow.
Will man’s hunger for pleasure ever be satisfied? Eating satisfies our hunger for food temporarily but even if the hunger is appeased, it will return. It is how man savours the pleasure that is important. Whether satisfying his thirst for knowledge or desire for pleasure, he should go slow and enjoy the taste. The more sensitive the man is, the more alive he will feel when satisfying his needs and longings. The more appreciative he is, the less likely he will be to eat junk or drink unnecessarily. Perhaps in this day and age, there are too many who expect instant gratification? We should be careful of greediness, recklessness and laziness. Credit cards make it easier for people to buy-now-pay-later. Computers make mental work less complicated as people don’t have to learn the intricacies behind what they are doing if they don’t want to. A machine will work it all out for them instead. The world’s resources are not in infinite supply. Sooner rather than later, they will run out. Which urge is stronger? Both are equal. Eat and man will be thirsty, drink and he will then look for food. To learn is to want to know more, to experience pleasure makes man eager to enjoy the same kind of delight again and again.
Polly

Answer 3

The stronger "urge" depends so much on the individual. We can cast a cynical eye around & perceive that it's mostly for pleasure, but that's a very superficial view. I've seen an abundant search for knowledge--& it can be satisfied only in "steps" along the path that evoke new questions. It's apparent that some people have absolutey NO thirst for knowledge, by their bias that refuses to look beyond their nose. I suspect that if I were ever to be indifferent to knowledge, I'd be dead.
Satisfying pleasure is rather similar, as we all appear to enjoy it, yet one pleasure is replaced by another.
I think "satisfied" is the key word.
We are able to feel satisfaction each step, or phase of the way, or as in greed, grabbing at the next moment or day, we aren't ever satisfied. An example is a multi-millionaire (client) whose thirst is for money. The money itself has long ceased to have any value, it's only the acquistion of more. This will NEVER be satisfied.
I couldn't make a judgment, considering the disparity of people.

Answer 4

Hands down in the world we live in today, man's hunger for pleasure. Now man's urge over the span of his existance is his thirst for knowledge. But this world has become what it is today it is impossible to resist pleasure.

Can either truelly be satisfied?? No, neither!

The Man who thirsts for knowledge will never get enough because their is so much to learn, it is never ending.

The Man who hungers for pleasure will never get enough either because that person's hole they are trying to fill with pleasure is never ending. And there are so many things in this world that can give people this pleasure they crave. Once they are done with whatever it is they've been feasting on they go to another (like vampires! how ironic!)

Answer 5

That's an interesting question. Thirst for knowledge is a pretty basic instict or as a human race we would have ceased to exist long ago. However, hunger for pleasure is also a basic instinct and more primal. I think that the thirst for knowledge and the hunger for pleasure can provide immense energy and can propel people to do many things - both good and bad.

Answer 6

If you look at the general population, pleasure definitely wins. Not many people would choose a day long class where they learn something new over a day at the beach. The thirst for plesaure can't be satisfied, because if all you want is pleasure then you'll never get enough.

Answer 7

Wow excellent question somehow I think the hunger for pleasure gets man in trouble and it is stronger I look all around me and I see this these days people are intelligent but they seek pleasure more to their own downdfall in the end because they feel live it up you only get one life.......yet no spirituality is ever thought about or code of ethics or morals to follow .................I say mans thirst for pleasure is stronger good question Patzy :))))People want knowledge sometimes when it is too late you see this all the time too...Hunger for pleasure is stronger ..sometime knowledge can be pain and most human beings would like to avoid the pain at all costs in their lives to enjoy just the pleasure :)))

Answer 8

Some are indeed satisfied with only the most mediocre level of knowledge they have achieved, at one point it was deemed possible to close the U.S. Patent Offices. The hunger for pleasure, on the other hand, seems insatiable. There are those for whom knowledge is pleasure and ignorance is pain. The urge of pleasure and its substance is inevitably the strongest, outranking the fluidity of knowledge which is more nutritive.

Answer 9

Hunger for pleasure I think. But satisfying the thirst for knowledge is a pleasure after all. Neither can be satisfied, but there's much satisfaction in pursuing them.

Answer 10

A person's thirst for knowledge is stronger, but it can also be his pleasure. I don't believe as long as there is one unknown fact, one question to ask we will ever stop looking for answers. The hunger in the mind far outweighs the hunger in the belly. Just look at any absent minded scientist who missed his lunch for the 500th time.

Answer 11

Man's thirst for knowledge is so that he may live the best life possible and be capable of making the right decisions. His thirst for pleasure is so that he may enjoy that life. Knowledge is never a waste; however, pleasure can frequently be disappointing.