Jean de la Bruyere Quotes

Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life.

Wise men argue causes; fools decide them.

In the last analysis sound judgment will prevail.

If you understand hallucination and illusion, you don't blindly follow any leader. You must know if the person is sane or insane, over the abyss.

In Greece wise men speak and fools decide.

Opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.

Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is.

Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have.

Where sense is wanting, everything is wanting.

Common Sense is that which judges the things given to it by other senses.

When it is not in our power to follow what is true, we ought to follow what is most probable.

Logic is a poor model of cause and effect.

In many cases it is a matter for decision and not a simple matter of fact whether x understands y; and so on.

My definition of an educated man is the fellow who knows the right thing to do at the time it has to be done. You can be sincere and still be stupid.

Judgment is more than skill. It sets forth on intellectual seas beyond the shores of hard indisputable factual information.

Good taste is the worst vice ever invented.

Perspective gives us the ability to accurately contrast the large with the small, and the important with the less important. Without it we are lost in a world where all ideas, news, and information look the same. We cannot differentiate, we cannot prioritize, and we cannot make good choices.

Intellect distinguishes between the possible and the impossible; reason distinguishes between the sensible and the senseless. Even the possible can be senseless.

People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable.

It takes little talent to see what lies under one's nose, a good deal to know in what direction to point that organ.

I know I have pretty good instincts.

I think I have good judgment.

Wisdom is knowing when you can't be wise.

You say that you are my judge; I do not know if you are; but take good heed not to judge me ill, because you would put yourself in great peril.

When we examine the opinions of men, we find that nothing is more uncommon than common sense; or, in other words, they lack judgment to discover plain truths or to reject absurdities and palpable contradictions.