Abstract
Wise men learn by other men’s mistakes, fools by their own.
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Notes
- 1.
This maxim, misattributed to quite a few recent authors, is often extended in the following direction: “…and full morons do not learn even by their own errors”. (On a personal note, with no hope of reaching the first category, I was always clinging to the second of them, making every effort to avoid the third one.).
- 2.
There is a close Italian proverb, “Your enemy makes you wise”.
- 3.
Frequently misattributed to Calvin Coolidge.
- 4.
As quoted, without a date, in several reliable collections, starting not later than 1988.
- 5.
It is curious that in different languages, different animals are mentioned—“cow” in the Russian version, “bull” the English one, “goat” in Yiddish, etc. However, fools look very international.
- 6.
This aphorism is frequently misattributed to Frank Leahy, in whose 1955 book it appeared (with a reference to K. Rockne).
- 7.
As quoted, without a date, in several reliable collections, starting not later than 1987.
- 8.
From his Notebook E (1775-1776).
- 9.
This is a succinct paraphrase (with a reference) of an earlier line by Aristotle.
- 10.
From his Notebook D (1773-1775).
- 11.
This is apparently a twist of an English proverb: “A little nonsense now and then/Is relished by the wisest men”.
- 12.
As quoted, without a date, in several generally reliable collections, starting not later than 1990, i.e. during the author’s lifetime.
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Likharev, K.K. (2021). On the Wise and Otherwise, Sanity and Madness. In: Likharev, K.K. (eds) Essential Quotes for Scientists and Engineers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63332-5_7
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