--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The test of…" description: "\"“F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposite ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/amit-goswami-22631_ability_f-scott-fitzgerald-said-the-test-of-firs_1973596.png" --- # F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The test of first-rate… ![“F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposite ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” quote by Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/amit-goswami-22631_ability_f-scott-fitzgerald-said-the-test-of-firs_1973596.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/amit-goswami-22631_ability_f-scott-fitzgerald-said-the-test-of-firs_1973596.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/amit-goswami-22631_ability_f-scott-fitzgerald-said-the-test-of-firs_1973596.png) > ““F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposite ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”” [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding contradictory ideas simultaneously while remaining functional demonstrates high intelligence. **In simple terms:** Being able to think opposites at once shows intelligence. Key Takeaway Embrace cognitive flexibility. Themes intelligence paradox cognition creativity Mood intrigued analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - problem solving - innovation - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology neuroscience Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile opposing thoughts? - When is it useful to hold contradictions? A Different Perspective May cause mental strain if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Is The Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-is-the-ability/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“F. 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Scott Fitzgerald has an indespensible quote: 'The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/f-scott-fitzgerald-has-an-indespensible-quote-the-test-of-a-first/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Scott Fitzgerald famously declared that “the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scott-fitzgerald-famously-declared-that-the-test-of-a-first-rate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The novelist F. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-duffy/the-test-of-a-first-rate-intelligence-is-the-ability-to-hold-two-3/) Maurice Duffy > [Intelligence is the ability of finding an answer while wisdom is the quality of having the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/intelligence-is-the-ability-of-finding-an-answer-while-wisdom-is-the/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-test-of-a-first-rate-intelligence-is-the-ability-to-hold-two/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Intelligence is the ability to find and solve problems and create products of value in one's own culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/intelligence-is-the-ability-to-find-and-solve-problems-and-create/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) ## More by Amit Goswami > [“Somewhere along the line I also recognized that spiritual growth is “inner” creativity, as contrasted to creativity in the arts and the sciences, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/somewhere-along-the-line-i-also-recognized-that-spiritual-growth-is/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [We can truly see that consciousness is operating creatively even in biology, even in the evolution of species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/we-can-truly-see-that-consciousness-is-operating-creatively-even-in/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [“The new paradigm posits instead a monism based on the primacy of consciousness-that consciousness (variously called Spirit, God, Godhead, Ain Sof, Tao, Brahman, etc.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/the-new-paradigm-posits-instead-a-monism-based-on-the-primacy-of/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [“For most of us, creative motivation requires a crisis—either externally, like a threat to our physical survival, or an internal crisis of intense suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/for-most-of-us-creative-motivation-requires-a-crisis-either/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [Consciousness does matter. 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You are not a limited material being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/contrary-to-what-they-tell-you-you-are-not-a-limited-material-being/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [“You will write … if you will write without thinking of the result in terms of a result, but think of the writing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/you-will-write-if-you-will-write-without-thinking-of-the-result-in/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [Consciousness comes first; it is the ground of all being. Everything else, including matter, is a possibility of consciousness. And consciousness chooses out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/consciousness-comes-first-it-is-the-ground-of-all-being-everything/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [If ordinary people really knew that consciousness and not matter is the link that connects us with each other and the world, then their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/if-ordinary-people-really-knew-that-consciousness-and-not-matter-is/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [It can be made only when one recognizes the ground of being itself, when one recognizes directly that One is All.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/it-can-be-made-only-when-one-recognizes-the-ground-of-being-itself/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [Consciousness is the ground of Being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/consciousness-is-the-ground-of-being/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) > [Quantum physics presents a new and exciting worldview that challenges old concepts, such as deterministic trajectories of motion and causal continuity. If initial conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-goswami/quantum-physics-presents-a-new-and-exciting-worldview-that-challenges/) [Amit Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) [Explore all 26 Amit Goswami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-goswami/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“F. 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