A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A wise person observes what is necessary and appropriate rather than everything available.
- In plain terms
- Wisdom involves knowing when to stop observing.
- What can you take from it?
- Restraint in perception is a sign of wisdom.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is it better to look away?
- How do you know what you ought to see?
Another view
Sometimes seeing more is better to avoid ignorance.
More from Michel de Montaigne
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
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Permalink to quote #53 Let us give Nature a chance; she knows her business better than we do.
Permalink to quote #50
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