--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If one has to say, in an argument, \"I am…" description: "\"“If one has to say, in an argument, \"I am intelligent! I do know things!\" then one might as well stop arguing.”\" — Orson Scott Card" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/orson-scott-card-134_arguing_if-one-has-to-say-in-an-argument-i-am-in_196432.png" --- # If one has to say, in an argument, "I am intelligent! I do… ![“If one has to say, in an argument, "I am intelligent! I do know things!" then one might as well stop arguing.” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/orson-scott-card-134_arguing_if-one-has-to-say-in-an-argument-i-am-in_196432.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/orson-scott-card-134_arguing_if-one-has-to-say-in-an-argument-i-am-in_196432.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/orson-scott-card-134_arguing_if-one-has-to-say-in-an-argument-i-am-in_196432.png) > ““If one has to say, in an argument, "I am intelligent! I do know things!" then one might as well stop arguing.”” [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence alone doesn't win arguments; humility and listening matter more. **In simple terms:** Being smart isn't enough in a debate. Key Takeaway Listen more, argue less. Themes humility communication argumentation Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - family discussions - online debates - classroom debates Key Concepts epistemology dialogue ego Questions to Reflect On - Do you value being right over understanding? - How can humility improve your arguments? A Different Perspective Intelligence can blind you to others' points. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ## Related quotes > [The argument for intelligent design basically depends on saying, 'You haven't answered every question with evolution,'... Well, guess what? Science can't answer every question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/the-argument-for-intelligent-design-basically-depends-on-saying-you/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [“The most hilarious thing about people holding up their right to free speech is how much it weakens everything else they've said. 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It’s almost like foreplay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/stop-arguing-with-me-and-let-s-do-this-but-i-m-enjoying-arguing-with/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [“I know I'm intelligent because I know that I know nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-know-i-m-intelligent-because-i-know-that-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“Be intelligent, but know it is better to be kind than smart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/be-intelligent-but-know-it-is-better-to-be-kind-than-smart/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I am intelligent because I know that I no nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evans-onyenwere/i-am-intelligent-because-i-know-that-i-no-nothing/) [Evans Onyenwere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evans-onyenwere/) > [I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-know-that-i-am-intelligent-because-i-know-that-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“To know that unchanging rule is to be intelligent; not to know it leads to wild movements and evil issues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/to-know-that-unchanging-rule-is-to-be-intelligent-not-to-know-it/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [One should be intelligent enough to know when not to be too intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/one-should-be-intelligent-enough-to-know-when-not-to-be-too/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Intelligent people know they are intelligent. 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Those who master others have force Those who master themselves have strength.Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/those-who-know-others-are-intelligent-those-who-know-themselves-have/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [We should stop arguing about tax cuts in this town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-neal/we-should-stop-arguing-about-tax-cuts-in-this-town/) [Richard Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-neal/) ## More by Orson Scott Card > [“You underestimate yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-underestimate-yourself/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We're like the wicked witch. 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If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) [Explore all 1,158 Orson Scott Card quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If one has to say, in an argument, \"I am intelligent! 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