--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ignorance is not lack of intelligence…" description: "\"Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.\" — Luc de Clapiers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png" --- # Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a… ![“Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.” quote by Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png) > “Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.” [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance isn’t low intelligence, nor knowledge guarantees genius. **In simple terms:** Ignorance isn’t lack of sm; knowledge isn’t genius. Key Takeaway Separate learning from innate talent. Themes education intelligence genius Mood inquisitive neutral Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - teaching methods - self‑education - career planning Key Concepts cognitive development talent theory Questions to Reflect On - Can education foster genius? - How to nurture talent? A Different Perspective Talent may be rare. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Superficial knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [Superficial knowledge ... is hurtful to those who possess true genius; for it necessarily draws them away from their main object, wastes their industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/superficial-knowledge-is-hurtful-to-those-who-possess-true-genius-for/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The more obscure our tastes, the greater the proof of our genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/the-more-obscure-our-tastes-the-greater-the-proof-of-our-genius/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [I do not approve the maxim which desires a man to know a little of everything. Superficial knowledge, knowledge without principles, is almost always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/i-do-not-approve-the-maxim-which-desires-a-man-to-know-a-little-of/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-true-sign-of-intelligence-is-not-knowledge-but-imagination/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Index-learning turns no student pale, Yet holds the eel of Science by the tail. Index-learning is a term used to mock pretenders who acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/index-learning-turns-no-student-pale-yet-holds-the-eel-of-science-by/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“To read with diligence; not to rest satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge, nor quickly to assent to things commonly spoken of:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/to-read-with-diligence-not-to-rest-satisfied-with-a-light-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [What is understanding? -- understanding is pure intelligence. That pure intelligence is originally yours; you are born with it. Nobody can give you intelligence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/what-is-understanding-understanding-is-pure-intelligence-that-pure/) [OSHO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [I have a true aversion to teaching. The perennial business of a professor of mathematics is only to teach the ABC of his science;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/i-have-a-true-aversion-to-teaching-the-perennial-business-of-a/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [Superficial knowledge breeds arrogance; true knowledge induces humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-ammaar-yasir-qadhi/superficial-knowledge-breeds-arrogance-true-knowledge-induces-humility/) [Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-ammaar-yasir-qadhi/) > [Give yourself to prayer, to reading and meditation on divine truths: strive to penetrate to the bottom of them and never be content with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brainerd/give-yourself-to-prayer-to-reading-and-meditation-on-divine-truths/) [David Brainerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brainerd/) > [We're flooding people with information. We need to feed it through a processor. A human must turn information into intelligence or knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-hopper/we-re-flooding-people-with-information-we-need-to-feed-it-through-a/) [Grace Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-hopper/) > [Fortunately or otherwise we live at a time when the average individual has to know several times as much in order to keep informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/fortunately-or-otherwise-we-live-at-a-time-when-the-average/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The proper use of our intelligence and knowledge is to effect changes from within to develop a good heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-proper-use-of-our-intelligence-and-knowledge-is-to-effect-changes/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [He who speaks a bit of a foreign language has more delight in it than he who speaks it well; pleasure goes along with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-who-speaks-a-bit-of-a-foreign-language-has-more-delight-in-it-than/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [A mere index hunter, who held the eel of science by the tail. Index-hunter is a term used mockingly, meaning one who acquires superficial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-smollett/a-mere-index-hunter-who-held-the-eel-of-science-by-the-tail-index/) [Tobias Smollett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-smollett/) ## More by Luc de Clapiers > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/there-are-those-who-are-so-scrupulously-afraid-of-doing-wrong-that/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men are not to be judged by what they do not know, but by what they know, and by the manner in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-are-not-to-be-judged-by-what-they-do-not-know-but-by-what-they/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/none-are-more-liable-to-mistakes-than-those-who-act-only-on-second/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-mind-is-the-soul-s-eye-not-its-source-of-power-that-lies-in-the/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is easier to say new things than to reconcile those which have already been said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-easier-to-say-new-things-than-to-reconcile-those-which-have/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Those who can bear all can dare all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/those-who-can-bear-all-can-dare-all/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-of-no-use-to-possess-a-lively-wit-if-it-is-not-of-the-right/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Explore all 190 Luc de Clapiers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [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/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luc de Clapiers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-nor-knowledge-a-proof-of-genius/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-nor-knowledge-a-proof-of-genius/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/luc-de-clapiers-2035_genius_ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-no_568693.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ignorance is not lack of intelligence, nor knowledge a proof of genius.” — Luc de Clapiers", "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": "Luc de Clapiers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ignorance is not lack of intelligence,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-nor-knowledge-a-proof-of-genius/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/ignorance-is-not-lack-of-intelligence-nor-knowledge-a-proof-of-genius/#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 } } ] } ```