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Quotes about intelligence

113 quotes from 85 people

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Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.
Terry Pratchett1948–2015Foreword to The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1998) by David Pringle, and The Definitive Illustrated Guide to Fantasy (2003) by David Pringle
We are not smart! We buy shit from smart people!
Joe Roganborn 1967Joe Rogan: Live (2006), “The Devolution of Stupid People”
- Comedy
Is an intelligent human being likely to be much more than a large-scale manufacturer of misunderstanding?
Philip Roth1933–2018The Counterlife (1986), Ch. 5
I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average proportion of the numbers of each is not to my advantage.
John Ruskin1819–1900Fors Clavigera, letter xxxvii, (1 January 1874)
A stupid man’s report of what a clever man says is never accurate because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.
Bertrand Russell1872–1970A History of Western Philosophy (1945)
- Talking
It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.
Bertrand Russell1872–1970Unpopular Essays (1950)
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
Bertrand Russell1872–1970“The Triumph of Stupidity” (10 May 1933), in Mortals and Others
Most men make little other use of their Speech than to give evidence against their own Understanding.
George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax1633–1695Moral Thoughts and Reflections
- Talking
No Man is so much a Fool as not to have Wit enough sometimes to be a Knave; nor any so cunning a Knave, as not to have the Weakness sometimes to play the Fool.
George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax1633–1695Moral Thoughts and Reflections
- Character
Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.
Arthur Schopenhauer1788–1860Essays
- Clever Jabs
If a person is stupid, we excuse him by saying that he cannot help it; but if we attempted to excuse in precisely the same way the person who is bad, we should be laughed at.
Arthur Schopenhauer1788–1860The World as Will and Representation, vol. 2 (trans. E. F. J. Payne), p. 230
- Morality
The disease having been caused by allowing cleverness to displace wisdom, no amount of clever research is likely to produce a cure.
ESE. F. Schumacher1911–1977Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered (1973), p. 35.
- Wisdom
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
William Shakespeare1564–1616A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595), Act III, scene ii.In context
No man can be a pure specialist without being in the strict sense an idiot.
George Bernard Shaw1856–1950Maxims for Revolutionists (1903), #41
- Clever Jabs
A fool’s brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry.
George Bernard Shaw1856–1950Maxims for Revolutionists (1903), #32