Who said “Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine,…”?

Verified

George Gurdjieff. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceIn Search of the Miraculous (1949)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.”
VerifiedIn Search of the Miraculous (1949) · evidenceSelf-knowledge
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: In Search of the Miraculous (1949).

APA

Gurdjieff, G. (n.d.). Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37275-without-self-knowledge-without-understanding-the-working-and/

MLA

Gurdjieff, George. “Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37275-without-self-knowledge-without-understanding-the-working-and/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Gurdjieff, George. “Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37275-without-self-knowledge-without-understanding-the-working-and/.