Telling someone something he does not understand is pointless, even if you add that he will not be able to understand it.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
The less you know about a field, the better your odds. Dumb boldness is the best way to approach a new challenge.
—Jerry Seinfeld (b.1954) American Comedian
Men are admitted into Heaven not because they have curbed and governed their passions or have no passions, but because they have cultivated their understandings. The treasures of Heaven are not negations of passion, but realities of intellect, from which all the passions emanate uncurbed in their eternal glory. The fool shall not enter into Heaven let him be ever so holy.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Every man hears only what he understands.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.
—Chinese Proverb
No man thoroughly understands a truth until he has contended against it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look into the reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and arguments. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.
—Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) Vietnamese Buddhist Religious Leader, Teacher, Author, Peace Activist
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.
—Neil Armstrong (1930–2012) American Astronaut
What is grand is necessarily obscure to weak men. That which can be made explicit to the idiot is not worth my care.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.
—Indian Proverb
The one who understands does not speak; the one who speaks does not understand
—Chinese Proverb
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The world only goes round by misunderstanding.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
A man who pretends to understand women is ad manners. For him to really to understand them is bad morals.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
No person was every rightly understood until they had been first regarded with a certain feeling, not of tolerance, but of sympathy.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.
—Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916) Austrian Novelist
There exists a passion for comprehension, just as there exists a passion for music. That passion is rather common in children, but gets lost in most people later on. Without this passion there would be neither mathematics nor natural science.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Keep constantly in mind in how many things you yourself have witnessed changes already. The universe is change, life is understanding.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Two parts of empathy: Skill (tip of iceberg) and Attitude (mass of the iceberg).
—Unknown
In youth we learn; in age we understand.
—Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916) Austrian Novelist
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
—Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) Italian Astronomer, Physicist, Mathematician
It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
The eye of the understanding is like the eye of the sense; for as you may see great objects through small crannies or holes, so you may see great axioms of nature through small and contemptible instances.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
In the long course of history, having people who understand your thought is much greater security than another submarine.
—J. William Fulbright (1905–95) American Political leader, Politician
It is not the language but the speaker that we want to understand.
—The Upanishads Sacred Books of Hinduism
There are three kinds of brains: One understands of itself, another can be taught to understand, and the third can neither understand to itself or be taught to understand.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
A man of understanding finds less difficulty in submitting to a wrong-headed fellow, than in attempting to set him right.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
What better way is there no make men love one another than to make men understand one another. True charity comes only with clarity-just as mercy is but justice that understands. Surely the root of all evil is the inability to see clearly that which is.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
There is a great difference between knowing and understanding: you can know a lot about something and not really understand it.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Understanding is nothing else than conception caused by speech.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I understand people’s suffering, people’s pain, more than you will every know yourself.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
Much learning does not teach understanding.
—Heraclitus (535BCE–475BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
Between
Our birth and death we may touch understanding
As a moth brushes a window with its wing.
—Christopher Fry (1907–2005) English Poet, Playwright
Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.
—Marge Piercy (b.1936) American Poet, Novelist, Social Activist
Said the little boy, Sometimes I drop my spoon.
Said the little old man, I do that too.
The little boy whispered, I wet my pants.
I do too, laughed the old man.
Said the little boy, I often cry.
The old man nodded. So do I.
But worst of all, said the boy, it seems
Grown-ups don’t pay attention to me.
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
I know what you mean, said the little old man.
—Shel Silverstein (1930–99) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Short story Author, Playwright, Author, Songwriter
I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
It is the same with understanding as with eyes; to a certain size and make just so much light is necessary, and no more. Whatever is beyond, brings darkness and confusion.
—Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1621–83) British Statesman
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
The man of understanding finds everything laughable.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Everything that happens happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
All meanings, we know, depend on the key of interpretation.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
If the human brain were simple enough to understand, we’d be so simple we couldn’t.
—Unknown
Understanding does not necessarily mean agreement.
—Indian Proverb
If you can keep your head about you when all about you are losing theirs, its just possible you haven’t grasped the situation.
—Jean Kerr (1922–2003) Irish-American Author, Playwright