Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

My errors will point to thinking men the various roads, and will teach them the great art of treading on the brink of the precipice without falling into it.

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

The rest is a mere matter of detail, to be settled with judgment, discretion, and caution.

One of the functions of intelligence is to take account of the dangers that come from trusting solely to the intelligence.

It is a wise man who knows where courage ends and stupidity begins.

When you encounter seemingly good advice that contradicts other seemingly good advice, ignore them both.

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

Common sense, proportionality, and judgment are the skills we must seek in those we choose to regulate our lives.

Wisdom is exercised in the choices you make.

Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage.

Let no one trust so entirely to natural prudence as to persuade himself that it will suffice to guide him without help from experience.

Exploring how you could make a bad situation worse can sometimes tell you what not to do.

Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.

Don't take too much advice.

Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.

The choice is between which mistake is easier to correct: underdoing it or overdoing it.

Don't leave hold of your common sense. Think about what you're doing and how the technology can enhance it. Don't think about technology first.

In the last analysis sound judgment will prevail.

Kerry is an adult - he thinks things through. He learns from the present as well as the past. To George Bush, thinking things through is for sissies.

Philosophy is nothing but discretion.

One man with a head on his shoulders is worth a dozen without.

Truth is a good dog; but always beware of barking too close to the heels of an error, lest you get your brains kicked out.

Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it.

We need to be able to make decisions even though part of the information that we have is incorrect and wrong.

Intelligence divorced from judgment produces nothing but foolishness.