Sidney Hook Quotes

No one but a fool is always right.

Anyone who thinks they have a monopoly on truth, and there is only one way to see the world, always gets us into trouble.

I want to find someone on the earth so intelligent that he welcomes opinions which he condemns.

Quick condemnation of all that is not ours, of views with which we disagree, of ideas that do not attract us, is the sign of a narrow mind, of an uncultivated intelligence. Bigotry is always ignorant, and the wise boy, who will become the wise man, tries to understand and to see the truth in ideas with which he does not agree.

'Tis folly to be wise.

It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it not.

Not engaging in ignorance is wisdom.

True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.

I cannot abide stupidity, in myself or in others.

It is the fool who thinks he cannot be fooled.

What is important is that one utilizes one's intellect and not to be 100 percent sure about one's convictions. One should always leave room for doubt.

The mistakes of the fool are known to the world, but not to himself. The mistakes of the wise man are known to himself, but not to the world.

The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything. The wisdom of the novel comes from having a question for everything.

I always try to have an open mind, but there is a difference between having an open mind and having a hole in the head.

The will to be stupid is a very powerful force, but there are always alternatives.

Do not be an arrogant scholar, for scholarship cannot subsist with arrogance.

The foolish reject what they see and not what they think; the wise reject what they think and not what they see.

A certain degree of intellectual humility is a good thing.

I mean, I think it's a two-way relationship: I think you should not have too much faith in your own rationality. You should not have too much faith in the rationality of, you know, anybody else either. We all learn together about the way the world is, and I think it's a sort of antidote to wishful thinking of all kinds.

I just want to be more willing to listen to many people and be cautious about what I'm doing.

The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.

Most people don't know what they're talking about. They move their mouth and say things because they don't want to admit they don't know. Or they think they know, but it's just confabulation and biases. So ignore them unless what they say resonates with some real wisdom inside of you. Assume they're a fool and find out the truth for yourself.

To think to be wise alone is a very great folly.

Readiness to answer all questions is the infallible sign of stupidity.

He who thinks with difficulty believes with alacrity. A fool is a natural proselyte, but he must be caught young, for his convictions, unlike those of the wise, harden with age.