--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two things are to be remembered: that a…" description: "\"“Two things are to be remembered: that a man whose opinions and theories are worth studying may be presumed to have had some intelligence, but that no ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/bertrand-russell-69_bertrand-russell_two-things-are-to-be-remembered-that-a-m_320995.jpg" --- # Two things are to be remembered: that a man whose opinions… ![“Two things are to be remembered: that a man whose opinions and theories are worth studying may be presumed to have had some intelligence, but that no man is likely to have arrived at complete and final truth on any subject whatever. When an intelligent man expresses a view which seems to us…” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/bertrand-russell-69_bertrand-russell_two-things-are-to-be-remembered-that-a-m_320995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/bertrand-russell-69_bertrand-russell_two-things-are-to-be-remembered-that-a-m_320995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/bertrand-russell-69_bertrand-russell_two-things-are-to-be-remembered-that-a-m_320995.jpg) > ““Two things are to be remembered: that a man whose opinions and theories are worth studying may be presumed to have had some intelligence, but that no man is likely to have arrived at complete and final truth on any subject whatever. When an intelligent man expresses a view which seems to us obviously absurd, we should not attempt to prove that it is somehow true, but we should try to understand how it ever came toseemtrue. Thisexercise of historical and psychological imagination at once enlarges the scope of our thinking, and helps us to realize how foolish many of our own cherished prejudices will seem to an age which has a different temper of mind.”” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intellectual humility requires us to consider why even intelligent people can hold mistaken views and to imagine the historical and psychological forces behind them. **In simple terms:** Understand why smart people can be wrong. Key Takeaway Seek context before judging. Themes humility critical thinking history psychology Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - academic debate - political discourse - media analysis - personal belief revision Key Concepts epistemology bias cognitive psychology Questions to Reflect On - How might your own biases be shaped by your era? - What steps can you take to understand opposing viewpoints? 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Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-fundamental-cause-of-the-trouble-is-that-in-the-modern-world-the-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/fools-and-fanatics-are-always-so-certain-of-themselves/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-intelligent-man-who-is-proud-of-his-intelligence-is-like-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. 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Smart gets a single mention, as does Adolf Grünbaum,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-parsons/mcgrath-briefly-notes-bertrand-russell-s-why-i-am-not-a-christian-and/) [Keith Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-parsons/) > [“In his school, Bertrand Russell thought it was better if they had the sex, so they could give their undivided attention to mathematics, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/in-his-school-bertrand-russell-thought-it-was-better-if-they-had-the/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“I've spent a life-time attacking religious beliefs and have not wavered from a view of the universe that many would regard as bleak. 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