Books Quote by Leonardo da Vinci

He who in reasoning cites authority is making use of his memory rather than of his intellect.

— Leonardo da Vinci

Whoever in debate quotes authority uses not intellect, but memory.

— Leonardo da Vinci

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory.

— Leonardo da Vinci

Anyone who in discussion relies upon authority uses, not his understanding, but rather his memory.

— Miguel de Unamuno

He who explains things to an intelligent person need not tire himself out talking.

— Vikrant Parsai

Insight is not a matter of memory, of knowledge and time, which are all thought.

— Jiddu Krishnamurti

A novelist should not be too intelligent either, although... he may be permitted to be an intellectual.

— Anthony Burgess

Unless one is a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.

— Anthony Hope

[The inspiration that comes to authors of fiction] is not an act of intelligence.

— Mary Lee Settle

Two sorts of writers possess genius: those who think, and those who cause others to think.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't think writers are any smarter than other people. I think they may be more compelling in their stupidity, or in their confusion.

— David Foster Wallace

I always assume that a good book is more intelligent than its author. It can say things that the writer is not aware of.

— Umberto Eco