Ludwig Wittgenstein Quotes

The words of truth are always paradoxical.

Most of the basic truths of life sound absurd at first hearing.

Just as a wise man can say something foolish, a fool can say something wise.

Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task.

Every day I hear stupid people say things that are not stupid.

Education, n.: That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.

Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.

The little I know I owe to my ignorance.

Never argue with a fool - people might not know the difference.

Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.

Silence makes idiots seem wise even for a minute.

It is a common observation that any fool can get money; but they are not wise that think so.

The most perceptive character in a play is the fool, because the man who wishes to seem simple cannot possibly be a simpleton.

Intelligence is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.

What men call knowledge, is the reasoned acceptance of false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the veil and sees.

A man may imagine things that are false, but he can only understand things that are true, for if the things be false, the apprehension of them is not understanding.

As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simple-minded does not necessarily mean stupid.

Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more than the wisest man can answer.

I have met with some of them - very honest fellows, who, with all their stupidity, had a kind of intelligence and an upright good sense, which cannot be the characteristics of fools.

Jesters do often prove prophets.

The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truth.

The fool wonders, the wise man asks.

A wit with dunces, and a dunce with wits.

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.

People are not stupid.