--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive…" description: "\"Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg" --- # Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all… ![“Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg) > “Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques a pretentious term that dismisses knowledge beyond one’s own limited understanding. **In simple terms:** Criticizes pretentious dismissal of broader knowledge. Key Takeaway Stay humble and open to learning. Themes knowledge humility pretension Mood skeptical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic debate - education - self‑development Key Concepts epistemic humility intellectual arrogance Questions to Reflect On - Why do we create labels for ignorance? - How can we foster genuine curiosity? A Different Perspective The term may be used humorously, not seriously. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [ETHNOLOGY, n. The science that treats of the various tribes of Man, as robbers, thieves, swindlers, dunces, lunatics, idiots and ethnologists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ethnology-n-the-science-that-treats-of-the-various-tribes-of-man-as/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Slang is a foul pool at which every dunce fills his bucket, and then sets up as a fountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/slang-is-a-foul-pool-at-which-every-dunce-fills-his-bucket-and-then/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [VITUPERATION, n. Saite, as understood by dunces and all such as suffer from an impediment in their wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/vituperation-n-saite-as-understood-by-dunces-and-all-such-as-suffer/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“My mother was an excellent woman. Pious, virtuous. Kind. But she was not the intellectual equal of my father. Not by any means. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/my-mother-was-an-excellent-woman-pious-virtuous-kind-but-she-was-not/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [You cannot open a book without learning something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/you-cannot-open-a-book-without-learning-something/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Our great mistake in education is, as it seems to me, the worship of book-learning–the confusion of instruction and education. We strain the memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/our-great-mistake-in-education-is-as-it-seems-to-me-the-worship-of/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Scholars of the East and West have heroically consecrated their whole working lives to making available, by means of their own disciplines, Sufi literary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/scholars-of-the-east-and-west-have-heroically-consecrated-their-whole/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The sure foundations of the state are laid in knowledge, not in ignorance; and every sneer at education, at culture, at book learning, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-william-curtis/the-sure-foundations-of-the-state-are-laid-in-knowledge-not-in/) [George William Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-william-curtis/) > [To be a photographer, one must photograph. No amount of book learning, no checklist of seminars attended, can substitute for the simple act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-callahan/to-be-a-photographer-one-must-photograph-no-amount-of-book-learning/) [Harry Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-callahan/) > [For those who are going to learn from books, learning the art of reading would seem to be indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/for-those-who-are-going-to-learn-from-books-learning-the-art-of/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Quiet book-learning in monasteries and ethereal music, sonnets and courtly lovethat stuff is all fantasyand veneer? 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The accumulation of knowledge, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-good-education-is-a-synthesis-of-book-learning-and-involvement-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I've always bought CDs and even when I was young and at primary school I had a massive collection of CDs. I just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/i-ve-always-bought-cds-and-even-when-i-was-young-and-at-primary/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ambrose Bierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term-for-all-knowledge-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term-for-all-knowledge-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/ambrose-bierce-140_book_book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term_1083857.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Book - Learning : The dunce's derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impertinent ignorance.” — Ambrose Bierce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ambrose Bierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Book - Learning : The dunce's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term-for-all-knowledge-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/book-learning-the-dunce-s-derisive-term-for-all-knowledge-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```