William O'Neill Quotes

The learned man knows that he is ignorant.

No man who worships education has got the best out of education... Without a gentle contempt for education no man's education is complete.

The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.

I'm not quite pompous enough to think of myself as an educator or a man capable of definitive refutation of falsehoods.

Any fool can say he is wise but only someone wise can admit he is a fool.

I am a humble but very earnest seeker after truth.

I was smart, to tell you the truth. I'm not really bright, but I'm not stupid.

Those who desire to rise as high as our human condition allows, must renounce intellectual pride, the omnipotence of clear thinking, belief in the absolute power of logic.

Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.

An intelligent person is never afraid or ashamed to find errors in his understanding of things.

I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.

Remember to be as smart as you are.

I never think of myself as wise. I think of myself as possessing a critical intelligence which I intend to allow to operate.

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

I don't know how smart I am. I just try to be what I am. I hope I'm modest. I think that's a desirable trait.

I'm not one of these people who thinks I know all the answers.

I never had a preconceived notion about what I should do or what I should take up… I am not that intelligent.

We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good.

I can talk about humility, but I'm not humble. I mean, if you say, I'm humble, you've just contradicted yourself. But I'm trying to be, man, I'm trying so hard.

When intelligent people pride themselves on not understanding, it is quite natural they should succeed better than fools.

Teach thy tongue to say 'I do not know', and thou shalt progress.

I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.

An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself.

I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.

To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.