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As the answer to the author's question: What are the prospects for knowledge-based society in Latvia?, the article analyses one perspective of the knowledge-based society concept, namely, the role of thirst for knowledge and interests in development of research. Since the Enlightenment in the end of the 18th century, knowledge-based society has constantly been a leading motif in European history. However, it cannot be said that this motif has linearly progressed and gained power; it has faced various obstacles under the influence of various social movements which, at least from the perspective of dissemination of knowledge, can be regarded as 'regressive'. On its basics, research knowledge cannot be matched with the way in which by now societies and countries have understood and legitimised themselves (often it has been in a clearly 'mythical' dimension). This article juxtaposes thirst for knowledge and interests, as well as ways for overcoming this juxtaposition. Conglomerate of interests is a special context in which a need for knowledge-based society becomes clearly conscious.