St. Thomas More's Utopia, translated by Paul Turner. Page 81.

And, as they see it, the scientific investigation of nature is not only a most enjoyable process, but also the best possible method of pleasing the Creator.
For they assume that He has the normal reactions of an artist. Having put the marvelous system of the universe on show for human beings to look at - since no other species is capable of taking it in - He must prefer the type of person who examines it carefully, and really admires His work, to the type that just ignores it and like the lower animals remains quite unimpressed by the whole astonishing spectacle.

In the immortal words of Bill Nye the Science Guy -- Science Rules! In a time when the Church and Crown were at odds with the scientific community (this, obviously, is no longer the case . . .), Thomas More's fictional friend gives a simple, yet easily palatable argument as to why we should indulge our natural curiosity.