--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember that the greatest fool in the…" description: "\"Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more than the wisest man can answer.\" — Bryant H. McGill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_fool_remember-that-the-greatest-fool-in-the-w_3053903.jpg" --- # Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more… ![“Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more than the wisest man can answer.” quote by Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_fool_remember-that-the-greatest-fool-in-the-w_3053903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_fool_remember-that-the-greatest-fool-in-the-w_3053903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_fool_remember-that-the-greatest-fool-in-the-w_3053903.jpg) > “Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more than the wisest man can answer.” [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The wisest may be unable to answer questions from the most foolish, highlighting limits of knowledge. **In simple terms:** Even the wise can’t answer all foolish questions. Key Takeaway Accept that some questions exceed our understanding. Themes humility knowledge communication Mood thoughtful humble Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - education - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts epistemology wisdom foolishness Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when a simple question confounds you? - When should you admit uncertainty? A Different Perspective Even the wisest may lack answers to simple or naive queries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Wisest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-wisest-2128861/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-world-1683689/) [Greatest Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-fool-473316/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Wisest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisest/) [Wisest man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisest-man/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/examinations-are-formidable-even-to-the-best-prepared-for-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“Often when things are not working, there is a message, lesson, or gift associated with the situation. At such a moment you may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/often-when-things-are-not-working-there-is-a-message-lesson-or-gift/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He that thinks he is the happiest man, really is so. But he that thinks he is the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/he-that-thinks-he-is-the-happiest-man-really-is-so-but-he-that-thinks/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [You can fool the world with your smiles, but you can never fool your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-fool-the-world-with-your-smiles-but-you-can-never-fool-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I mean, I think that - as an actress, in particular, I'm basically a fool, and I see the world upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-deavere-smith/i-mean-i-think-that-as-an-actress-in-particular-i-m-basically-a-fool/) [Anna Deavere Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-deavere-smith/) > [It is wonderful how preposterously the affairs of the world are managed. We assemble parliaments and councils to have the benefit of collected wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/it-is-wonderful-how-preposterously-the-affairs-of-the-world-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The wisest man may always learn something from the humblest peasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/the-wisest-man-may-always-learn-something-from-the-humblest-peasant/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [The wisest man preaches no doctrines; he has no scheme; he sees no rafter, not even a cobweb, against the heavens. It is clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-wisest-man-preaches-no-doctrines-he-has-no-scheme-he-sees-no/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The wisest man would be the one richest in contradictions, who has, as it were, antennae for all types of men---as well as his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-wisest-man-would-be-the-one-richest-in-contradictions-who-has-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Haste is productive of injury, and so is too much hesitation. He is the wisest man who does everything at the proper time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/haste-is-productive-of-injury-and-so-is-too-much-hesitation-he-is-the/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [A child can ask a thousand questions that the wisest man cannot answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-abbott/a-child-can-ask-a-thousand-questions-that-the-wisest-man-cannot-answer/) [Jacob Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-abbott/) > [My dear father; my dear friend; the best and wisest man I ever knew, who taught me many lessons and showed me many things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-orne-jewett/my-dear-father-my-dear-friend-the-best-and-wisest-man-i-ever-knew-who/) [Sarah Orne Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-orne-jewett/) > [If travel were so inspiring and informing a business ... then the wisest men in the world would be deck hands on tramp steamers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/if-travel-were-so-inspiring-and-informing-a-business-then-the-wisest/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [We must get away from this limited \*I did this and I did that\* and the self-centeredness, that dominates our society Today. It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/we-must-get-away-from-this-limited-i-did-this-and-i-did-that-and-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More by Bryant H. McGill > [True education is limited to those people who would die without knowing, whereas the masses in the institutions are merely going through the motions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/true-education-is-limited-to-those-people-who-would-die-without/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [You reclaim your power by loving what you were once taught to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/you-reclaim-your-power-by-loving-what-you-were-once-taught-to-hate/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [It will feel impossible; like you are dying inside this is your soul crying out for life. It may take everything you have; every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/it-will-feel-impossible-like-you-are-dying-inside-this-is-your-soul/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Genius is always accompanied by enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/genius-is-always-accompanied-by-enthusiasm/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [My self-esteem had been crushed through years of childhood bullying and serious abuses, which would take me decades to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/my-self-esteem-had-been-crushed-through-years-of-childhood-bullying/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/good-manners-are-appreciated-as-much-as-bad-manners-are-abhorred/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Become empty to become complete, for it is the void that defines the form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/become-empty-to-become-complete-for-it-is-the-void-that-defines-the/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Dare to love every person, including yourself. Become the energy of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/dare-to-love-every-person-including-yourself-become-the-energy-of-love/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [A mistake made by many people with great convictions is that they will let nothing stand in the way of their views, not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/a-mistake-made-by-many-people-with-great-convictions-is-that-they/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [You are the artist and the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/you-are-the-artist-and-the-art/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [In America, educators punish those who actually think for themselves. There is only acceptance for popular opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/in-america-educators-punish-those-who-actually-think-for-themselves/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Hate controls everything it touches, but love sets everything it touches free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/hate-controls-everything-it-touches-but-love-sets-everything-it/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Let people speak. Let people disagree. Communicate. Listen. Have high-respect, if not for your opponent, then for your own comportment and conduct as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/let-people-speak-let-people-disagree-communicate-listen-have-high/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [While it is important for people to see your promise you must also remember that hope is the keeper of both happiness and disappointment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/while-it-is-important-for-people-to-see-your-promise-you-must-also/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Stop your worrying, panicking and stressing. Breathe. Remember, you made it this far through difficulties that seemed impossible. Remember how many times you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/stop-your-worrying-panicking-and-stressing-breathe-remember-you-made/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) [Explore all 158 Bryant H. McGill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Remember that the greatest fool in the world may ask more than the wisest man can answer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bryant H. 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