Part 1, Chapter 8 (page 28)
“
The best definition of man is: a being that goes on two legs and is ungrateful.
• Variant translation: If I had to define man it would be: a biped, ungrateful.
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The best definition of man is: a being that goes on two legs and is ungrateful.
• Variant translation: If I had to define man it would be: a biped, ungrateful." in the context of "Part 1, Chapter 8 (page 28)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" (General, Notes from Underground (1864))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky or Dostoevsky Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский (11 November 1821 - 9 February 1881) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. Dostoevsky's literary works explore the human condition in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century Russia, and engage with a variety of philosophical and religious themes. Many literary critics rate him as one of the greatest novelists in all of world literature, as multiple of his works are considered highly influential masterpieces.
About Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky or Dostoevsky Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский (11 November 1821 - 9 February 1881) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. Dostoevsky's literary works explore the human condition in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century Russia, and engage with a variety of philosophical and religious themes. Many literary critics rate him as one of the greatest novelists in all of world literature, as multiple of his works are considered highly influential masterpieces.
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