Choose a topic from Part 2B:
(d) he may seek knowledge from unlawful sources, as fromdemons;
(e) he may seek creatural knowledge without referring whathe knows to God; (f) he may foolishly risk error by trying tomaster what is beyond his capacity.
1. Curiosity, in our present use of the word, is the vice whichstands opposed to studiousness. Curiosity throws aside themoderating influence of studiousness, and disposes man toinordinateness in seeking knowledge. This inordinateness appears ina variety of ways. Thus: (a) a man may seek knowledge to take pridein it; (b) he may seek to know how to sin; (c) he may seek uselessknowledge and waste effort which should be expended in learningwhat he needs to know;
2. Curiosity appears also in the order of sense-knowledge.Inordinateness here appears in an excessive love of sight-seeing;of neglecting study to gaze idly on a meaningless spectacle; oflooking needlessly on what may occasion evil thoughts; of observingthe actions of others to criticize and condemn them, and so on. If,however, one is intent upon material things in an ordinate way(that is. in a way that accords with reason) one exercisesstudiousness, not curiosity, even in the order ofsense-knowing.
"As the flesh is nourished by food, so is man supported by prayers"
St Augustine
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"The one thing necessary which Jesus spoke of to Martha and Mary consists in hearing the word of God and living by it."
R. Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
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"This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. "
Thomas á Kempis
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