quotations about intelligence
A man must be completely wanting in intelligence if he does not show it when actuated by love, malice, or necessity.
JEAN DE LA BRUYÈRE
"Of the Affections", Les Caractères
People of a lofty intelligence, who look at things from a human point of view, generally make their philosophy to consist in bravely bearing the reverses brought about by circumstances; and their honor, in keenly resenting the pains which come to them through human agency.
MME. SWETCHINE
attributed, Day's Collacon
Those natures are intellectual which, possessing intelligence, are objects of intelligence to others.
ZOROASTER
attributed, Day's Collacon
Do you not see how necessary a World of Pains and troubles is to school an Intelligence and make it a Soul?
JOHN KEATS
letter to George and Georgiana Keats, April 1819
Reason is man's instrument for arriving at the truth, intelligence is man's instrument for manipulating the world more successfully; the former is essentially human, the latter belongs to the animal part of man.
ERICH FROMM
The Sane Society
He had just about enough intelligence to open his mouth when he wanted to eat, but certainly no more.
P. G. WODEHOUSE
Full Moon
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
BERTRAND RUSSELL
Mortals and Others
I once spoke to a human geneticist who declared that the notion of intelligence was quite meaningless, so I tried calling him unintelligent. He was annoyed, and it did not appease him when I went on to ask how he came to attach such a clear meaning to the notion of lack of intelligence. We never spoke again.
PETER MEDAWAR
Advice to a Young Scientist
Intelligence flourishes only in the ages when belief withers.
EMIL CIORAN
A Short History of Decay