It is impossible to underrate human intelligence—beginning with one’s own.
—Henry Adams (1838-1918) American Historian, Man Of Letters
I doubt not that in due time, when the arts are brought to perfection, some means will be found to give a sound head to a man who has none at all.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Man becomes man only by his intelligence, but he is man only by his heart.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization, and at present very few people have reached this level.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Wit is educated insolence.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
The man who puts $10,000 additional capital into an established business is pretty certain of increased returns; and in the same way, the man who puts additional capital into his brains—information, well directed thought and study of possibilities—will as surely—yes, more surely—get increased returns. There is no capital and no increase in capital safer than that.
—Marshall Field (1834–1906) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Philanthropist
Intelligence, in diapers, is invisible. And when it matures, out the window it flies. We have to pounce on it earlier.
—Stanislaw Jerzy Lec (1909–1966) Polish Aphorist, Poet
A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
The woman who thinks she is intelligent demands equal rights with men. A woman who is intelligent does not.
—Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer
I hate intellectuals. They are from the top down. I am from the bottom up.
—Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) American Architect
There’s always something suspect about an intellectual on the winning side.
—Vaclav Havel (1936–2011) Czech Dramatist, Statesman
Intelligence is quickness to apprehend as distinct from ability, which is capacity to act wisely on the thing apprehended.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
I’ve been called many things, but never an intellectual.
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actor, TV Personality
So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
It is not clear that intelligence has any long-term survival value.
—Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) English Theoretical Physicist, Cosmologist, Academic
I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do. In fact, that’s good taste.
—Lucille Ball (1911–89) American Actor, Comedian, Model
Science and art are only too often a superior kind of dope, possessing this advantage over booze and morphia: that they can be indulged in with a good conscience and with the conviction that, in the process of indulging, one is leading the “higher life.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
There is nobody so irritating as somebody with less intelligence and more sense than we have.
—Don Herold (1889–1966) American Humorist, Writer, Illustrator, Cartoonist
The fly that does not want to be swatted is safest if it sits on the fly-swat.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Clever people will recognize and tolerate nothing but cleverness.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work – the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside – the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once. There is another sort of blow that comes from within – that you don’t feel until it’s too late to do anything about it, until you realize with finality that in some regard you will never be as good a man again. The first sort of breakage seems to happen quick – the second kind happens almost without your knowing it but is realized suddenly indeed. Before I go on with this short history, let me make a general observation – the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
There is one thing even more vital to science than intelligent methods; and that is, the sincere desire to find out the truth, whatever it may be.
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) American Philosopher, Logician, Mathematician
No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself.
—Henry Adams (1838-1918) American Historian, Man Of Letters
The best intelligence test is what we do with our leisure.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about.
—Solomon Short
Ask a wise man to dinner and he’ll upset everyone by his gloomy silence or tiresome questions. Invite him to a dance and you’ll have a camel prancing about. Haul him off to a public entertainment and his face will be enough to spoil the people’s entertainment.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Now intelligence seemed quantifiable. You could measure someone’s actual or potential height, and now, it seemed, you could also measure someone’s actual or potential intelligence. We had one dimension of mental ability along which we could array everyone… The whole concept has to be challenged; in fact, it has to be replaced.
—Howard Gardner (b.1943) American Cognitive Psychologist
Simplicity of character is no hindrance to subtlety of intellect.
—John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838–1923) British Political Leader, Writer, Editor, Journalist
The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
The bookful blockhead ignorantly read,
With loads of learned lumber in his head,
With his own tongue still edifies his ears,
And always list’ning to himself appears.
All books he reads, and all he reads assails.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
In the great mass of our people there are plenty individuals of intelligence from among whom leadership can be recruited.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
In the corporate world, if you have analysts, due diligence, and no horse sense, you’ve just described hell.
—Charlie Munger (b.1924) American Investor, Philanthropist
Intelligence recognizes what has happened. Genius recognizes what will happen.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
Belief is the death of intelligence. As soon as one believes a doctrine of any sort, or assumes certitude, one stops thinking about that aspect of existence.
—Robert Anton Wilson (1932–2007) American Polymath, Essayist, Novelist, Philosopher, Playwright
The correct analogy for the mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting — no more — and then it motivates one towards originality and instills the desire for truth.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
The cynic never grows up, but commits intellectual suicide.
—Charles Reynolds Brown (1862–1950) American Clergyman
Man is an intelligence, not served by, but in servitude to his organs.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
These then are my last words to you. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
To be wholly devoted to some intellectual exercise is to have succeeded in life.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Talent, taste, wit, good sense are very different things but by no means incompatible. Between good sense and good taste there exists the same difference as between cause and effect, and between wit and talent there is the same proportion as between a whole and its parts.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training.
—Anna Freud (1895–1982) Austrian-British Child Psychoanalyst
If we listened to our intellect we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go in business because we’d be cynical: It’s gonna go wrong. Or She’s going to hurt me. Or, I’ve had a couple of bad love affairs, so therefore … Well, that’s nonsense. You’re going to miss life. You’ve got to jump off the cliff all the time and build your wings on the way down.
—Ray Bradbury (b.1920) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Intelligence is the faculty of making artificial objects, especially tools to make tools.
—Henri Bergson (1859–1941) French Philosopher, Evolutionist
Chance favours the prepared mind.
—Louis Pasteur (1822–95) French Biologist
Fear is what prevents the flowering of the mind.
—Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) Indian Philosopher
Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
I’ve always felt that a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view he can entertain simultaneously on the same topic.
—Abigail Adams (1744–1818) American First Lady
Military intelligence is a contradiction in terms.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
I think, therefore I am is the statement of an intellectual who underrates toothaches.
—Milan Kundera (b.1929) Czech Novelist
It takes an extraordinary intelligence to contemplate the obvious
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modem world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Cleverness is serviceable for everything, sufficient for nothing.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
I happen to feel that the degree of a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic.
—Lisa Alther (b.1944) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Failures are divided into two classes — those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought.
—John Charles Salak
My great religion is a belief in the blood, the flesh, as being wiser than the intellect. We can go wrong in our minds. But what our blood feels and believes and says, is always true. The intellect is only a bit and a bridle.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.
—Richard Feynman (1918–88) American Physicist
The superior man is he who develops in harmonious proportions, his moral, intellectual, and physical nature. This should be the end at which men of all classes should aim, and it is this only which constitutes real greatness.
—Douglas William Jerrold (1803–57) English Writer, Dramatist, Wit
There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
—Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) British Scientist, Science-fiction Writer
Mother is far too clever to understand anything she does not like.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Mad, adj.: Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
—Michael Jordan (b.1963) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Character is higher than intellect… a great soul will be strong to live, as well as to think.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The brain is a mass of cranial nerve tissue, most of it in mint condition.
—Robert Half
Just imagine you’re four years old, and someone makes the following proposal: If you’ll wait until after he runs an errand, you can have two marshmallows for a treat. If you can’t wait until then, you can have only one–but you can have it right now. It is a challenge sure to try the soul of any four-year-old, a microcosm of the eternal battle between impulse and restraint, id and ego, desire and self-control, gratification and delay… There is perhaps no psychological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse. It is the root of all emotional self-control, since all emotions, by their very nature, led to one or another impulse to act.
—Daniel Goleman (b.1946) American Psychologist, Author, Science Journalist
Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
On artificial intelligence: the real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.
—B. F. Skinner (1904–90) American Psychologist, Social Philosopher, Inventor, Author
A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a lifetime’s experience.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
In order to acquire intellect one must need it. One loses it when it is no longer necessary.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
The only chance for victory over the brainwash is the right of every man to have his ideas judged one at a time. You never get clarity as long as you have these packaged words, as long as a word is used by twenty-five people in twenty-five different ways. That seems to me to be the first fight, if there is going to be any intellect left.
—Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
—Vittorio Alfieri (1749–1803) Italian Poet, Dramatist
Intelligence makes clear to us the interrelationship of means and ends. But mere thinking cannot give us a sense of the ultimate and fundamental ends. To make clear these fundamental ends and valuations and to set them fast in the emotional life of the individual, seems to me precisely the most important function which religion has to form in the social life of man.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Be neither silly, nor cunning, but wise.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The most fertile soil does not necessarily produce the most abundant harvest. It is the use we make of our faculties which renders them valuable.
—Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823–1911) American Social Reformer, Clergyman
A man likes his wife to be just clever enough to appreciate his cleverness, and just stupid enough to admire it.
—Israel Zangwill (1864–1926) English Playwright, Novelist, Zionist Activist
The weak in courage is strong in cunning.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Intellectuals can tell themselves anything, sell themselves any bill of goods, which is why they were so often patsies for the ruling classes in nineteenth-century France and England, or twentieth-century Russia and America.
—Lillian Hellman (1905–84) American Playwright, Dramatist, Memoirist
We regard intelligence as man’s main characteristic and we know that there is no superiority which intelligence cannot confer on us, no inferiority for which it cannot compensate
—Henri Bergson (1859–1941) French Philosopher, Evolutionist
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.
—E. F. Schumacher (1911–77) German Mathematician, Economist
I was taught that the human brain was the crowning glory of evolution so far, but I think it’s a very poor scheme for survival.
—Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Man has made use of his intelligence, he invented stupidity.
—Remy de Gourmont (1858–1915) French Poet, Novelist, Critic
The universe is an intelligence test.
—Timothy Leary (1920–96) American Psychologist, Author
For all things difficult to acquire, the intelligent man works with perseverance.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage