--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it be true that men of strong…" description: "\"If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually dogmatists--and I am inclined to think it is so--it ought to follow that men of weak imaginat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/charles-caleb-colton-270_being-true_if-it-be-true-that-men-of-strong-imagina_2975876.png" --- # If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually… ![“If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually dogmatists--and I am inclined to think it is so--it ought to follow that men of weak imaginations are the reverse; in which case we should have some compensation for stupidity. But it unfortunately happens that no dogmatist is more…” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/charles-caleb-colton-270_being-true_if-it-be-true-that-men-of-strong-imagina_2975876.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/charles-caleb-colton-270_being-true_if-it-be-true-that-men-of-strong-imagina_2975876.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/charles-caleb-colton-270_being-true_if-it-be-true-that-men-of-strong-imagina_2975876.png) > “If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually dogmatists--and I am inclined to think it is so--it ought to follow that men of weak imaginations are the reverse; in which case we should have some compensation for stupidity. But it unfortunately happens that no dogmatist is more obstinate or less open to conviction than a fool.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Strong imaginations can become rigid, while weak ones may lack depth; both have flaws. **In simple terms:** Strong minds can be dogmatic; weak ones lack depth. Key Takeaway Balance imagination with humility. Themes imagination dogmatism humility Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - education - creative work - leadership training Key Concepts philosophy psychology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you temper imagination with reality? - When does humility improve insight? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on imagination can ignore practicality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Compensation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compensation/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Dogmatist Obstinate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmatist-obstinate-4605295/) [Dogmatists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmatists-239748/) [Dogmatists Inclined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmatists-inclined-4605293/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Happens Dogmatist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens-dogmatist-4605296/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Obstinacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstinacy/) [Obstinate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstinate/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Should have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-have/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Usually Dogmatists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usually-dogmatists-4605294/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [The aim of science is not things themselves, as the dogmatists in their simplicity imagine, but the relation between things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-aim-of-science-is-not-things-themselves-as-the-dogmatists-in/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [There is no absolute knowledge. And those who claim it, whether they are scientists or dogmatists, open the door to tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/there-is-no-absolute-knowledge-and-those-who-claim-it-whether-they/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The skeptic, being a lover of his kind, desires to cure by speech, as best he can, the self-conceit and rashness of the dogmatists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sextus-empiricus/the-skeptic-being-a-lover-of-his-kind-desires-to-cure-by-speech-as/) [Sextus Empiricus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sextus-empiricus/) > [The Universe is vast. Nothing is more curious than the self-satisfied dogmatism with which mankind at each period of its history cherishes the delusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-universe-is-vast-nothing-is-more-curious-than-the-self-satisfied/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Faith drives a wedge between ethics and suffering. Where certain actions cause no suffering at all, religious dogmatists still maintain that they are evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/faith-drives-a-wedge-between-ethics-and-suffering-where-certain/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [There are two kinds of people in the world, the conscious dogmatists and the unconscious dogmatists. I have always found myself that the unconscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-the-conscious-dogmatists/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Supposing that Truth is a woman ---well, now, is there not some foundation for suspecting that all philosophers, insofar as they were dogmatists, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/supposing-that-truth-is-a-woman-well-now-is-there-not-some-foundation/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“We all know dogmatists who are more concerned about holding their opinions than about investigating their truth. ... if they are mistaken, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-wolfe/we-all-know-dogmatists-who-are-more-concerned-about-holding-their/) [David L. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-wolfe/) > [Faith drives a wedge between ethics and suffering. Where certain actions cause no suffering at all, religious dogmatists still maintain that they are evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/faith-drives-a-wedge-between-ethics-and-suffering-where-certain-2/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Stiff opinion, always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/stiff-opinion-always-in-the-wrong/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Many are obstinate with regard to the pathway once they have set upon it, few with regard to the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-are-obstinate-with-regard-to-the-pathway-once-they-have-set-upon/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Stubbornness is a weapon. 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The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it be true that men of strong imaginations are usually dogmatists--and I am inclined to think it is so--it ought to follow that men of weak imaginations are the reverse; in which case we should have some compensation for stupidity. 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