--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, ideas can always be…" description: "\"“Of course, ideas can always be misleading—but then so can numbers. Still, we advance by learning new ways to think, even if those ways are not infalli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/steven-e-landsburg-33891_ideas_of-course-ideas-can-always-be-misleading_186947.jpg" --- # Of course, ideas can always be misleading—but then so can… ![“Of course, ideas can always be misleading—but then so can numbers. Still, we advance by learning new ways to think, even if those ways are not infallible. Much” quote by Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/steven-e-landsburg-33891_ideas_of-course-ideas-can-always-be-misleading_186947.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/steven-e-landsburg-33891_ideas_of-course-ideas-can-always-be-misleading_186947.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/steven-e-landsburg-33891_ideas_of-course-ideas-can-always-be-misleading_186947.jpg) > ““Of course, ideas can always be misleading—but then so can numbers. Still, we advance by learning new ways to think, even if those ways are not infallible. Much”” [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas and numbers can mislead, yet progress comes from learning new, imperfect ways of thinking. **In simple terms:** Both ideas and data can be flawed, but we keep improving. Key Takeaway Embrace new thinking despite its flaws. Themes progress critical thinking learning Mood curious analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - research - policy making Key Concepts philosophy logic innovation Questions to Reflect On - What new perspectives could challenge your assumptions? - How do you balance skepticism with openness? A Different Perspective New methods may be costly or untested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Misleading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-misleading-1984035/) [Learning new](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-new/) [Think Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-ways-402281/) [Ways Infallible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-infallible-1984036/) [Ways Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-think-711558/) ## Related quotes > [I would say that kids are great in many ways, because I think that we are less hampered when it comes to 'this costs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/i-would-say-that-kids-are-great-in-many-ways-because-i-think-that-we/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [Yes, even I am dishonest. Not in many ways, but in some. Forty-one, I think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/yes-even-i-am-dishonest-not-in-many-ways-but-in-some-forty-one-i/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“There are several ways. You can think of a memory from before you came into your powers. Or focus on a time when your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/there-are-several-ways-you-can-think-of-a-memory-from-before-you-came/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [I'm a believer that there are three fundamental ways that you can think about education. They're being a professor upfront, lecturing, telling what's inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-dolan/i-m-a-believer-that-there-are-three-fundamental-ways-that-you-can/) [Robert J. Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-dolan/) > [I think a lot of things can be misconstrued in a lot of ways. 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But, they always think of ways, not to let you fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sincere-people-sometimes-may-not-be-in-a-position-to-pull-you-up-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We got to think of other ways to help these kids out because there's a lot of kids who get hurt in college and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/we-got-to-think-of-other-ways-to-help-these-kids-out-because-there-s/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [I would say one of the reasons that women don't invest to the same extent that men do, is because we still think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/i-would-say-one-of-the-reasons-that-women-don-t-invest-to-the-same/) [Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/) > [Well, the problem is, it's not easy for me to think of ways to improve myself, because I'm pretty much one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/well-the-problem-is-it-s-not-easy-for-me-to-think-of-ways-to-improve/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [I think there are ways that graduate students can fact-check their work. I think there are ways that we can do this that don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-there-are-ways-that-graduate-students-can-fact-check-their/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When you are poor, you'll have to think of ways to be better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/when-you-are-poor-you-ll-have-to-think-of-ways-to-be-better-off/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) ## More by Steven E. Landsburg > [“If you bake a cupcake, the world has one more cupcake. If you become a circus clown, the world has one more squirt of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-you-bake-a-cupcake-the-world-has-one-more-cupcake-if-you-become-a/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“...given sufficient ignorance, one can doubt evolution…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/given-sufficient-ignorance-one-can-doubt-evolution/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“The governing principle is precisely the same one that predicts behavior at the gas pump. When the price of gasoline is low, people choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/the-governing-principle-is-precisely-the-same-one-that-predicts/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“Logic matters. It leads us from simple ideas to surprising conclusions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/logic-matters-it-leads-us-from-simple-ideas-to-surprising-conclusions/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“A few lines of reasoning can change the way we see the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/a-few-lines-of-reasoning-can-change-the-way-we-see-the-world/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“Among college students, economics and philosophy majors have similar current incomes, but it’s the economics students who drive cars, because it’s the economics students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/among-college-students-economics-and-philosophy-majors-have-similar/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“Colleges should offer lots of optional life-enriching experiences, like intramural basketball and a place to sunbathe. But reading books, like basketball or sunbathing, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/colleges-should-offer-lots-of-optional-life-enriching-experiences/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“When I find a pair of pants I like, I buy a lot of them. Really a lot. Perhaps there’s something genetic here; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/when-i-find-a-pair-of-pants-i-like-i-buy-a-lot-of-them-really-a-lot/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“Why am I permitted to apply racial criteria when I select a spouse but not when I select a personal assistant?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/why-am-i-permitted-to-apply-racial-criteria-when-i-select-a-spouse/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“A low current stock price forecasts a low future price. If today’s price is low, there is a good reason to buy more (it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/a-low-current-stock-price-forecasts-a-low-future-price-if-today-s/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“Selling is a painful necessity, buying is what makes it all worthwhile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/selling-is-a-painful-necessity-buying-is-what-makes-it-all-worthwhile/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [“If it's okay to enrich ourselves by denying foreigners the right to earn a living, why shouldn't we enrich ourselves by invading peaceful countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-it-s-okay-to-enrich-ourselves-by-denying-foreigners-the-right-to/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [ “\[Economics\] is all about observing the world with genuine curiosity and admitting that it is full of mysteries” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/economics-is-all-about-observing-the-world-with-genuine-curiosity-and/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) [Explore all 14 Steven E. Landsburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. 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It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Of course, ideas can always be misleading—but then so can numbers. Still, we advance by learning new ways to think, even if those ways are not infallible. Much”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven E. 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