--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There can be goodness without much…" description: "\"There can be goodness without much intelligence - but it seems to me that perfect intelligence and perfect goodness must go together.\" — Robert Green I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/robert-green-ingersoll-361_go_there-can-be-goodness-without-much-intel_252585.png" --- # There can be goodness without much intelligence - but it… ![“There can be goodness without much intelligence - but it seems to me that perfect intelligence and perfect goodness must go together.” quote by Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/robert-green-ingersoll-361_go_there-can-be-goodness-without-much-intel_252585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/robert-green-ingersoll-361_go_there-can-be-goodness-without-much-intel_252585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/robert-green-ingersoll-361_go_there-can-be-goodness-without-much-intel_252585.png) > “There can be goodness without much intelligence - but it seems to me that perfect intelligence and perfect goodness must go together.” [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goodness can exist without high intellect, yet true perfection likely requires both. **In simple terms:** Goodness can be simple, but perfect goodness may need intelligence. Key Takeaway Cultivate both mind and heart. Themes ethics intelligence perfection Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - education - leadership - community service - policy making Key Concepts philosophy humanism Questions to Reflect On - Can intelligence exist without goodness? - Is perfect goodness realistic? A Different Perspective Intelligence alone may not guarantee moral action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Goodness Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-intelligence-2509717/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-perfect-2509719/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Perfect Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-goodness-2509720/) [Perfect Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-intelligence-2509718/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [These three qualities I recommend to you; tenacity, goodness, and intelligence. They are as valuable today as they were in the time of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/these-three-qualities-i-recommend-to-you-tenacity-goodness-and/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [Perfect goodness can never debate about the end to be attained, and perfect wisdom cannot debate about the means most suited to achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/perfect-goodness-can-never-debate-about-the-end-to-be-attained-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If kind parents love their children and delight in their happiness, then he who is perfect goodness in sending abroad mortal contagions doth assuredly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/if-kind-parents-love-their-children-and-delight-in-their-happiness/) [John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/) > [The combined wisdom and genius of all mankind cannot possibly conceive of an argument against liberty of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-combined-wisdom-and-genius-of-all-mankind-cannot-possibly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [When passions and appetites are stronger than the intellect, men are savages; when the intellect governs the passions, when the passions are servants, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/when-passions-and-appetites-are-stronger-than-the-intellect-men-are/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To make one good action succeed another, is the perfection of goodness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/to-make-one-good-action-succeed-another-is-the-perfection-of-goodness/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [Love reacts with goodness towards those who ill-treat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/love-reacts-with-goodness-towards-those-who-ill-treat-it/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More by Robert Green Ingersoll > [Our hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all religions come from that hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/our-hope-of-immortality-does-not-come-from-any-religions-but-nearly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I read the other day an account of a meeting between John Knox and John Calvin. 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