--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing…" description: "\"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I regret that this isn't fatal.\" — Erik Naggum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1f/erik-naggum-8459_dangerous_a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing_739080.png" --- # A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I regret that… ![“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I regret that this isn't fatal.” quote by Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1f/erik-naggum-8459_dangerous_a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing_739080.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1f/erik-naggum-8459_dangerous_a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing_739080.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1f/erik-naggum-8459_dangerous_a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing_739080.png) > “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I regret that this isn't fatal.” [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having a small amount of knowledge can be risky because it creates false confidence, yet the author notes that this danger is not fatal. **In simple terms:** Limited knowledge can mislead, but it isn’t deadly. Key Takeaway Seek deeper understanding before acting. Themes knowledge risk confidence learning Mood cautious reflective Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - software development - decision making - education - self‑assessment Key Concepts cognitive bias expertise gap Questions to Reflect On - What areas in your work suffer from superficial knowledge? - How do you verify the depth of your understanding? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may lead to errors despite the non‑fatal outcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Little knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-knowledge/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [For we can only know that we know nothing, and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/for-we-can-only-know-that-we-know-nothing-and-a-little-knowledge-is-a/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [You know that saying 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'? That's so true of positive psychology. Our latest research tells us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-fredrickson/you-know-that-saying-a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-that-s/) [Barbara Fredrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-fredrickson/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-so-is-a-lot/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing - it only hastens fools to rush in where angels fear to tread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-it-only-hastens-fools-to-rush/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The saying that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing is, to my mind, a very dangerous adage. If knowledge is real and genuine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/the-saying-that-a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-is-to-my-mind/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [A little knowledge may or may not be a dangerous thing. It will certainly soon be more expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-little-knowledge-may-or-may-not-be-a-dangerous-thing-it-will/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/they-say-a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-but-it-s-not-one/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“little knowledge is dangerous thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/er-teji/little-knowledge-is-dangerous-thing/) [er.teji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/er-teji/) > [Granny sighed. "You have learned something," she said, and thought it safe to insert a touch of sternness into her voice. "They say a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/granny-sighed-you-have-learned-something-she-said-and-thought-it-safe/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-little-knowledge-is-dangerous-where-is-the-man-who-has-so-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It's much easier to be brave when you don't believe that the monster under your bed is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-it-s-much-easier-to-be-brave/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." - Harkat Mulds (Hunters of the Dusk)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-harkat-mulds-hunters-of-the/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sreenadh/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing/) [Sreenadh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sreenadh/) > [If a little knowledge was a dangerous thing, a lot was lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sharpe/if-a-little-knowledge-was-a-dangerous-thing-a-lot-was-lethal/) [Tom Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sharpe/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but a little want of knowledge is also a dangerous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-but-a-little-want-of/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More by Erik Naggum > [Structure is nothing if it is all you got. Skeletons spook people if they try to walk around on their own. I really wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/structure-is-nothing-if-it-is-all-you-got-skeletons-spook-people-if/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The only important property of evils of the past is that they not be repeated in the future, in any way, shape, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-only-important-property-of-evils-of-the-past-is-that-they-not-be/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Some people are little more than herd animals, flocking together whenever the world becomes uncomfortable … I am not one of those people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/some-people-are-little-more-than-herd-animals-flocking-together/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Ignoring for a moment the power of the American Medical Association, we still wouldn't see a huge amount of books on neurosurgery for dummies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/ignoring-for-a-moment-the-power-of-the-american-medical-association/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have actually programmed a fair bit in Perl, like I have C++ code published with my name on it. Other things I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-actually-programmed-a-fair-bit-in-perl-like-i-have-c-code/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Part of any serious QA is removing Perl code the same way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to remove chewing gum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/part-of-any-serious-qa-is-removing-perl-code-the-same-way-you-go-over/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have a cat, so I know that when she digs her very sharp claws into my chest or stomach it's really a sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-a-cat-so-i-know-that-when-she-digs-her-very-sharp-claws-into/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Constructing a social system that tends to those who agree with it is a piece of cake compared to constructing one that makes those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/constructing-a-social-system-that-tends-to-those-who-agree-with-it-is/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [If, however, one factor is too successful, it will continue to be the winning factor regardless of the variation in the other factors over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-however-one-factor-is-too-successful-it-will-continue-to-be-the/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [C++ is a language strongly optimized for liars and people who go by guesswork and ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/c-is-a-language-strongly-optimized-for-liars-and-people-who-go-by/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Gotos aren't damnable to begin with. If you aren't smart enough to distinguish what's bad about some gotos from all gotos, goto hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/gotos-aren-t-damnable-to-begin-with-if-you-aren-t-smart-enough-to/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have come to believe that large print, thick and heavy paper, and wide margins and oversize leading is indicative of the expected intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-come-to-believe-that-large-print-thick-and-heavy-paper-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The fundamental deficiency in HTML is that it reduces hypertext and the intertwinedness of human communication to a question of how it is rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-fundamental-deficiency-in-html-is-that-it-reduces-hypertext-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The currency in the developer community is enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-currency-in-the-developer-community-is-enthusiasm/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) [Explore all 80 Erik Naggum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [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/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 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