Who said “It is better of course to know useless things than to know nothing.”?

Misattributed

Not Tom Stoppard. It's commonly credited to them, but the evidence shows it isn't theirs.

What the research foundListed as misattributed to Tom Stoppard; no source in their known works.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

APA

“It is better of course to know useless things than to know nothing.” [Quotation attributed to Tom Stoppard]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25306-it-is-better-of-course-to-know-useless/

MLA

“It is better of course to know useless things than to know nothing.” Attributed to Tom Stoppard. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25306-it-is-better-of-course-to-know-useless/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“It is better of course to know useless things than to know nothing.” Attributed to Tom Stoppard. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25306-it-is-better-of-course-to-know-useless/.