"Erudition - dust shaken out of a book into an empty skull"

This quote by Ambrose Bierce is a commentary on the concept of knowledge and education. He is suggesting that understanding is not something that can be gotten simply by reading books. It is not enough to simply fill one's head with truths and figures, however rather, knowledge must be actively engaged with and understood. He is suggesting that understanding is not something that can be acquired passively, however rather, it should be actively sought out and comprehended. He is likewise recommending that knowledge is not something that can be acquired just by remembering realities and figures, however rather, it needs to be actively engaged with and understood. Simply put, knowledge is not something that can be acquired simply by checking out books, but rather, it should be actively looked for and understood.