Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

The wisest mind has something yet to learn.

If thou would'st have that stream of hard-earn'd knowledge, of Wisdom heaven-born, remain sweet running waters, thou should'st not leave it to become a stagnant pond.

A man though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and must unbend his mind.

It is a sign of contraction of the mind when it is content, or of weariness. A spirited mind never stops within itself; it is always aspiring and going beyond its strength.

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

We know that once we stop learning and call ourselves learned, we become useless members of the scientific society.

Large skepticism leads to large understanding. Small skepticism leads to small understanding. No skepticism leads to no understanding.

A closed mind is a dying mind.

My body has certainly wandered a good deal, but I have an uneasy suspicion that my mind has not wandered enough.

It is futile to ask a person who is narrow minded or close minded, to give his judgment for he is not willing to accommodate suggestions and opinions from others and hence, his wisdom remains restricted and is not allowed to evolve, and so he is not able to use his wisdom efficiently.

Ideas are dangerous, but the man to whom they are least dangerous is the man of ideas. He is acquainted with ideas, and moves among them like a lion-tamer. … the man to whom they are most dangerous is the man of no ideas. The man of no ideas will find the first idea fly to his head like wine to the head of a teetotaller

We hear only those questions for which we are in a position to find answers

It is not good to settle into a set of opinions. It is a mistake to put forth effort and obtain some understanding and then stop at that…. Do not rely on following the degree of understanding that you have discovered, but simply think, "This is not enough.

If we learn from those only, of whose lives and opinions we altogether approve, we shall have to turn from many of the highest and profoundest minds.

I like to think I know a lot, but I don't. I'm motivated to learn more.

A man learns all his life and dies the day he thinks that he has learnt everything.

No matter how much you know, you can always learn more and be a good listener.

Education broadens our horizons and enables us to confront realities we'd never before anticipated.

I hope I continue to learn. If I don't, then I know everything.

A man remains ignorant because he loves ignorance, and chooses ignorant thoughts; a man becomes wise because he loves wisdom and chooses wise thoughts.

No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.

At present we educate people only up to the point where they can earn a living and marry; then education ceases altogether, as though a complete mental outfit had been acquired. ... Vast numbers of men and women thus spend their entire lives in complete ignorance of the most important things.

Learning something means coming into contact with a world of which you know nothing. In order to learn, you must be humble.

Knowing ignorance is strength; ignoring knowledge is sickness.

If you pursue enrichment and growth, you must increase your references by pursuing ideas and experiences that wouldn't be a part of your life if you didn't consciously seek them out.