Intellectual humility

Explore 8 quotes about Intellectual humility

I know that I do not know.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Intellectual humility Certainty Ignorance

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

He who knows most, knows best how little he knows.

Thomas Jefferson

More information about this quote

Topic

Intellectual humility

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1812 1810s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Thomas Jefferson’s Batture Pamphlet. 25 Feb. 1812.

The first and wisest of them all professed
To know this only, that he nothing knew.

John Milton

Paradise Regained

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More information about this quote

Topic

Intellectual humility Wisdom Ignorance

Author

John Milton

Source

Paradise Regained

Medium

Poem

Genre

Religious literature Epic poem

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1671 1670s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Milton, John. "Paradise Regained." Paradise Regained, A Poem in 4 Books, to which is added Samson Agonistes. London: John Starkey, 1671, bk. 4, I. 293.

Current Citation

Milton, John. "Paradise Regained." John Milton: Major Works, edited by Stephen Orgel and Jonathan Goldberg. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 4, I. 293.

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of Him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned, but has never quite forgotten; that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest.

Learned Hand

More information about this quote

Topic

Empathy Intellectual humility Open-mindedness

Speaker

Learned Hand

Source

Speeches of Learned Hand

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1944 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Hand, Learned. "The Spirit of Liberty." I Am An American Day. 21 May 1944, Central Park, New York City, NY, USA.

"I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken." I should like to have that written over the portals of every church, every school, and every court house, and, may I say, of every legislative body in the United States. I should like to have every court begin, "I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that we may be mistaken."

Learned Hand

More information about this quote

Topic

Intellectual humility Questioning one's beliefs

Speaker

Learned Hand

Source

Morals in Public Life

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1951 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Hand, Learned. "Morals in Public Life." Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. 28 June 1951, Washington, DC, USA. Testimony.

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

Alexander Pope

More information about this quote

Topic

Teachers Intellectual humility

Author

Alexander Pope

Source

An Essay on Criticism

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1711 1710s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pope, Alexander, [published anonymously]. "An Essay on Criticism." London: W. Lewis, 1711, pt. 3, l. 632-633.

Current Citation

Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Criticism." The Major Works, edited by Pat Rogers. Oxford University Press, 2009, pt. 3, l. 632-633.

What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.

Epictetus

Discourses

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Topic

Intellectual humility Certainty Obstacles to learning Learning

Author

Epictetus

Source

Discourses

Medium

Lecture

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

108 100s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Epictetus. Ἐπικτήτου διατριβαί, Epiktētou diatribai [The Discourses of Epictetus]. c. 108, bk. 2, ch. 17.

Current Citation

Epictetus. "The Discourses." Discourses and Other Writings, edited and translated by Robert Dobbin. Penguin Classics, 2008, bk. 2, ch. 17.

I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment, to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure-that is all agnosticism means.

Clarence Darrow

More information about this quote

Topic

Agnosticism Intellectual humility

Author

Clarence Darrow

Source

Scopes Monkey Trial

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Language

English

Time

1925 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Darrow, Clarence. Criminal Court of Tennessee. The State of Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes. 21 July 1925.