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About this quote

What does it mean?
Human error or foolishness can sometimes create the conditions for intelligence or innovation to emerge.
In plain terms
Sometimes doing dumb things helps smart things happen.
What can you take from it?
Foolishness can enable intelligence.

Where it applies

  • problem solving
  • creative process
  • management

Putting it to work

  • allow mistakes
  • learn from errors
  • encourage experimentation

Questions to consider

  • How do errors help learning?
  • Can you plan for success?

Another view

Not all silly things lead to good outcomes.

More from Ludwig Wittgenstein

  1. If a person tells me he has been to the worst places I have no reason to judge him; but if he tells me it was his superior wisdom that enabled him to go there,…

    Permalink to quote #113
  2. If there were a verb meaning 'to believe falsely,' it would not have any significant first person, present indicative.

    Permalink to quote #115
  3. I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.

    Permalink to quote #112

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