---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic…"
description: "\"Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a g..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png"
---

#  Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows…

![“Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png)

> “Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently.”

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People who think they know everything become rigid, while true knowledge brings humility and openness to learning.

**In simple terms:** Ignorance breeds dogma; knowledge fosters humility.

Key Takeaway

Seek humility, question assumptions.

Themes

dogmatism humility learning communication

Mood

reflective critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- teaching
- leadership
- personal development
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

epistemology psychology social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does certainty affect your willingness to listen?
- What steps can you take to stay open to new ideas?

A Different Perspective

Even the knowledgeable may assume common knowledge, limiting dialogue.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Common knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-knowledge/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Teaching others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-others/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatical/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Nevertheless so profound is our ignorance, and so high our presumption, that we marvel when we hear of the extinction of an organic being;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/nevertheless-so-profound-is-our-ignorance-and-so-high-our-presumption/)

[Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/)

> [A dogmatic tone is generally inspired by abysmal ignorance. The man who knows nothing thinks he is informing others of something which he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-dogmatic-tone-is-generally-inspired-by-abysmal-ignorance-the-man/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [In seeking wisdom, the first step is silence, the second listening, the third remembering, the fouth practicing, the fifth -- teaching others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-seeking-wisdom-the-first-step-is-silence-the-second-listening-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“These researches renewed his commitment to analysis, which he now conceived more as a means to produce personal growth than as a technique for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-stevens/these-researches-renewed-his-commitment-to-analysis-which-he-now/)

[Anthony Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-stevens/)

> [For nearly a decade now, I've been teaching others how to thrive by filling their bodies with energizing vitamins, nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/for-nearly-a-decade-now-i-ve-been-teaching-others-how-to-thrive-by/)

[Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/)

> [Fitness plays such an important role in my life, and an integral part of my golf structure, that I think I might be quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/fitness-plays-such-an-important-role-in-my-life-and-an-integral-part/)

[Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/)

> [Only through education does one come to be dissatisfied with his own knowledge, and only through teaching others does one come to realize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/only-through-education-does-one-come-to-be-dissatisfied-with-his-own/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Men, in teaching others, learn themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lodge/men-in-teaching-others-learn-themselves/)

Thomas Lodge

> [“Practice teaching others the 'unsearchable riches' of Christ. Each week, explain a verse from a section of Scripture to another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/practice-teaching-others-the-unsearchable-riches-of-christ-each-week/)

[Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/)

> [The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ibn-gabirol/the-first-step-in-the-acquisition-of-wisdom-is-silence-the-second/)

[Solomon Ibn Gabirol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ibn-gabirol/)

> [I believe in taking care of myself and teaching other people who want to learn. I don't believe in just printing money and giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/i-believe-in-taking-care-of-myself-and-teaching-other-people-who-want/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

> [Clone ourselves through teaching others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horst-rechelbacher/clone-ourselves-through-teaching-others/)

[Horst Rechelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horst-rechelbacher/)

> [The best answer to the question, 'What is the most effective method of teaching?' is that it depends on the goal, the student, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbert-j-mckeachie/the-best-answer-to-the-question-what-is-the-most-effective-method-of/)

Wilbert J. McKeachie

> [ “Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath, write: Civility is claiming and caring for one’s identity, needs, and beliefs without degrading someone else’s in the process….\[Civility\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/cassandra-dahnke-and-tomas-spath-write-civility-is-claiming-and/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

## More by Jean de la Bruyere

> [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/)

[Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

[Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

## More Common quotes

> [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/)

[Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/)

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/)

[Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [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/)

> [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/)

[Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/)

> [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [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/)

Browse all 7,866 Common quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jean de la Bruyere"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic-the-man-who-knows-nothing/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Common"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic-the-man-who-knows-nothing/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_common_profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic_3136676.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has…” — Jean de la Bruyere",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jean de la Bruyere",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic-the-man-who-knows-nothing/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/profound-ignorance-makes-a-man-dogmatic-the-man-who-knows-nothing/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
