Quotes About Wisdom

Wisdom is balance, and a three-legged stance (old man), like a three-legged stool, offers the best balance. When one has become older, one knows that doing is valid only when it enhances being and that thinking makes sense only if it stems from feeling.

Whatever the immediate gains and losses, the dangers to our safety arising from political suppression are always greater than the dangers to the safety resulting from political freedom. Suppression is always foolish. Freedom is always wise.

I will tell you why I became a philosopher. I became a philosopher because I wanted to be able to talk about many, many things, ideally with knowledge, but sometimes not quite the amount of knowledge that I would need if I were to be a specialist in them. It allows you to be many different things. And plurality and complexity are very, very important to me.

Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave: Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise, - His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies

Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

To endeavor to work upon the vulgar with fine sense is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor.

One who is too wise an observer of the business of others, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.

Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise; His pride in reasoning, not in acting, lies

And wine can of their wits the wise beguile, make the sage frolic, and the serious smile.

Tell me, Muse, of the man of many wiles.

How index-learning turns no student pale, Yet holds the eel of science by the tail!

Coffee, which makes the politicians wise, And see through all things with his half-shut eyes.

Stuff the headWith all such reading as was never read:For thee explain a thing till all men doubt it,And write about it, Goddess, and about it.

The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read, With loads of learned lumber in his head.

At ev'ry trifle scorn to take offense.

Slave to no sect, who takes no private road,But looks through Nature up to Nature's God.

Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend.

But where's the man who counsel can bestow,Still pleas'd to teach, and yet not proud to know?

Know then this truth, enough for man to know virtue alone is happiness below.

A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan: The proper study of mankind is man.

Unlearn'd, he knew no schoolman's subtle art,No language, but the language of the heart.

Some old men, continually praise the time of their youth. In fact, you would almost think that there were no fools in their days, but unluckily they themselves are left as an example.