--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A closed mouth gathers no foot. A…" description: "\"A closed mouth gathers no foot. A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking. A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/david-gries-82372_artist_a-closed-mouth-gathers-no-foot-a-conclus_506073.jpg" --- # A closed mouth gathers no foot. A conclusion is simply the… ![“A closed mouth gathers no foot. A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking. A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant.” quote by David Gries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/david-gries-82372_artist_a-closed-mouth-gathers-no-foot-a-conclus_506073.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/david-gries-82372_artist_a-closed-mouth-gathers-no-foot-a-conclus_506073.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/david-gries-82372_artist_a-closed-mouth-gathers-no-foot-a-conclus_506073.jpg) > “A closed mouth gathers no foot. A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking. A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant.” David Gries ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Logical reasoning can be illustrated through absurd analogies, emphasizing the futility of overcomplicating simple tasks. **In simple terms:** Complex ideas can be broken down to simple steps. Key Takeaway Simplify problems to their core elements. Themes logic problem solving humor analogy simplicity Mood lighthearted educational reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - software design - education - creative thinking - teaching methods Key Concepts reductionism critical thinking abstraction Questions to Reflect On - What simple steps can clarify a complex problem? - How can humor aid learning? A Different Perspective Overly humorous analogies may obscure the intended lesson. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Elephants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephants/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-proof/) [Sculpting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpting/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-fool-proof-method-for-sculpting-an-elephant-first-get-a-huge-block/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A fool-proof method for sculpting an horse: first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-fool-proof-method-for-sculpting-an-horse-first-get-a-huge-block-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/a-conclusion-is-simply-the-place-where-you-got-tired-of-thinking/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-foxx/fool-me-once-shame-on-you-fool-me-twice-shame-on-you/) [Virginia Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-foxx/) > [“Life didn't come with a fool-proof manual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-didn-t-come-with-a-fool-proof-manual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every day, man is making bigger and better fool-proof things, and every day, nature is making bigger and better fools. So far, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/every-day-man-is-making-bigger-and-better-fool-proof-things-and-every/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There's no system foolproof enough to defeat a sufficiently great fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/there-s-no-system-foolproof-enough-to-defeat-a-sufficiently-great-fool/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [I sometimes wonder if the manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/i-sometimes-wonder-if-the-manufacturers-of-foolproof-items-keep-a/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [You certainly can't be a perfect person, coming up with the 100% correct solution, all the time. It's just a combination of a chain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-heinrichs/you-certainly-can-t-be-a-perfect-person-coming-up-with-the-100/) [Rick Heinrichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-heinrichs/) > [Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/nothing-is-fool-proof-to-a-sufficiently-talented-fool/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Today, John Kerry announced a fool-proof plan to wipe out the $500B deficit. John Kerry has a plan, he's going to put it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/today-john-kerry-announced-a-fool-proof-plan-to-wipe-out-the-500b/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [Foolproof systems to not take into account the ingenuity of fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-brown/foolproof-systems-to-not-take-into-account-the-ingenuity-of-fools/) [Gene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-brown/) > [A Christmas Carol is such a fool-proof story you can't louse it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-maltin/a-christmas-carol-is-such-a-fool-proof-story-you-can-t-louse-it-up/) [Leonard Maltin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-maltin/) > [There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom. The glib supposition of utilizing atomic energy when our coal has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/there-is-no-likelihood-man-can-ever-tap-the-power-of-the-atom-the/) [Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins ## More by David Gries > [A formal parsing algorithm should not always be used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gries/a-formal-parsing-algorithm-should-not-always-be-used/) David Gries > [Never put off until run time what you can do at compile time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gries/never-put-off-until-run-time-what-you-can-do-at-compile-time/) David Gries Explore all 3 David Gries quotes ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A closed mouth gathers no foot. A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking. 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