--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Intelligence plus character-that is the…" description: "\"Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/martin-luther-king-jr-127_character_intelligence-plus-character-that-is-the_1475897.png" --- # Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true… ![“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/martin-luther-king-jr-127_character_intelligence-plus-character-that-is-the_1475897.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/martin-luther-king-jr-127_character_intelligence-plus-character-that-is-the_1475897.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/martin-luther-king-jr-127_character_intelligence-plus-character-that-is-the_1475897.png) > “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True education should develop both intellect and moral character, integrating knowledge with ethical behavior. **In simple terms:** Education must blend mind and moral character. Key Takeaway Cultivate intellect and character together. Themes education ethics personal development Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - schools - parenting - community programs - self‑study Key Concepts character formation critical thinking holistic learning Questions to Reflect On - How can schools teach character? - What role does community play? A Different Perspective Focusing on intellect alone may neglect moral growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-goal-5367161/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Plus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-plus-5048308/) [True education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-education/) ## Related quotes > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus-2/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-function-of-education-is-to-teach-one-to-think-intensively-and-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Intelligence plus experience creates ideas, and experimentation with that form of chemistry-the contact of ideas with events-is the field of adult education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-morley/intelligence-plus-experience-creates-ideas-and-experimentation-with/) [Felix Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-morley/) > [Wisdom is just intelligence plus experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-just-intelligence-plus-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-seems-to-me-that-education-has-a-two-fold-function-to-perform-in/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/education-must-enable-a-man-to-become-more-efficient-to-achieve-with/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-most-dangerous-criminal-may-be-the-man-gifted-with-reason-but/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/education-must-enable-one-to-sift-and-weigh-evidence-to-discern-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [True education is limited to those people who would die without knowing, whereas the masses in the institutions are merely going through the motions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/true-education-is-limited-to-those-people-who-would-die-without/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [“True education reveals self-potential, more than just sows ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/true-education-reveals-self-potential-more-than-just-sows-ideas/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [And what is true education? It is awakening a love for truth; giving a just sense of duty; opening the eyes of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/and-what-is-true-education-it-is-awakening-a-love-for-truth-giving-a/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The entire object of true education is to make people not merely do the right things, but enjoy the right things — not merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-entire-object-of-true-education-is-to-make-people-not-merely-do/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Success takes an investment in time, dedication, and sacrifice. This is true education. It is a process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/success-takes-an-investment-in-time-dedication-and-sacrifice-this-is/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [A man's real education begins after he has left school. True education is gained through the discipline of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-man-s-real-education-begins-after-he-has-left-school-true-education/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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