for the sake of knowing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for the sake of knowing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a desire to understand or learn something, often implying that the knowledge itself is valuable. Example: "I asked the question for the sake of knowing more about the topic."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Jansen taught that a desire for knowledge was one form of concupiscence, and he argued that from this "illness … arises the investigation of nature's secrets (which are irrelevant to us), knowledge of which is useless, and which men do not wish to know except for the sake of knowing them" (Jansen 2004: 24).

SEP

From the same motive efforts are made to scrutinize the secrets of the natural world that lie beyond our sight; knowledge of these is of no profit, yet people want to know them simply for the sake of knowing.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

"What I can tell you is that we're working with the Malaysian government to try to find the plane; find out what happened to it for the sake of the families and, obviously, for the sake of knowing what caused the plane to disappear". The United States has been helping in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, including the deployment of U.S. Navy vessels.

HuffPost

The reasons patients gave for believing prognostic information was important included 'knowing for the sake of knowing' and planning future activity.

BMC Family Practice

These included knowing for the sake of knowing, planning for the future (leisure, work, home and caring activities), knowing about pain in order to them help cope with it and allowing them to alter activity to prevent deterioration.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Accomplishment, the feeling of absorption in the flow, of mastery for its own sake, of knowing how to do this thing, is what keeps all of us doing what we do, if we like what we do at all.

The New Yorker

Let's accept that explanation for the sake of argument (although, knowing fans as I do, Clemens might very well have received an ovation).

The New York Times - Sports

Moreover, a variable-length encoding scheme is developed for the sake of finding the clusters without knowing any prior knowledge.

Expert Systems with Applications

They're in front of their computer for the sake of doing it without really knowing what kind of outcome they want to achieve.

Huffington Post

You know, for the sake of consistency.

Huffington Post

Each of these represents a kind of knowing trade, a conscious consumer submission to surveillance for the sake of convenience.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "for the sake of knowing" when you want to emphasize that the value of knowledge lies in itself, regardless of any practical application. This is particularly relevant in discussions about intellectual curiosity and the pursuit of pure science.

Common error

Avoid using "for the sake of knowing" when the purpose of acquiring information is primarily practical or utilitarian. In such cases, phrases like "for the purpose of" or "in order to" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for the sake of knowing" functions as an adverbial phrase expressing purpose or motivation. It indicates that the reason for an action is simply to gain knowledge, emphasizing the intrinsic value of understanding. As Ludwig AI states, this is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "for the sake of knowing" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to express that the primary motivation for seeking information is the inherent value of knowledge itself. While not a highly frequent expression, Ludwig AI confirms it’s appropriate, especially in Science and News & Media contexts. It's best used when discussing intellectual curiosity and the pursuit of understanding, rather than practical applications. Alternatives like "for the purpose of understanding" can be used when a more direct statement of purpose is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for the purpose of understanding

Replaces "sake of knowing" with a more direct statement of purpose, emphasizing comprehension.

to satisfy one's curiosity

Highlights the inherent desire to learn and explore, driven by curiosity.

out of intellectual curiosity

Similar to the previous, but more formal, emphasizing the intellectual aspect.

for the pursuit of knowledge

Emphasizes the active seeking and acquisition of knowledge as a goal.

simply to know

A more concise way of expressing the same idea, focusing on the act of knowing itself.

for informational purposes

Highlights the intention to gather and share information without necessarily implying a deeper understanding.

to broaden one's understanding

Focuses on expanding existing knowledge and perspectives.

to gain insights

Emphasizes acquiring a deeper, more profound comprehension of a subject.

to become informed

Highlights the process of getting knowledge or information on a subject.

to have a better grasp

Focuses on the acquisition of a strong understanding or control of a subject

FAQs

How can I use "for the sake of knowing" in a sentence?

You can use "for the sake of knowing" to express that the reason for seeking information is simply to have that knowledge, with no other specific purpose. For example: "She researched the topic "for the sake of knowing" more about it".

What's a good alternative to "for the sake of knowing"?

A good alternative depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "For the purpose of understanding" is a direct substitute. Others, like "to satisfy one's curiosity" emphasize the motivation behind seeking knowledge.

Is it always appropriate to use "for the sake of knowing?"

No, it's best used when emphasizing the intrinsic value of knowledge. If the information is needed for a specific task or decision, more direct phrases like "in order to" or "because of" are better choices.

How does "for the sake of knowing" differ from "for the sake of learning"?

"For the sake of learning" emphasizes the process of acquiring knowledge, while ""for the sake of knowing"" emphasizes the state of having knowledge. The former focuses on the activity, the latter on the result.