“He dares to be a fool, and that is the first step in the direction of wisdom.”
The Pathos of Distance (1915), p. 257
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James Huneker 2
American music critic 1857–1921Related quotes

“He that cannot reason is a fool. He that will not is a bigot. He that dare not is a slave.”
“He, who will not reason, is a bigot; he, who cannot, is a fool; and he, who dares not, is a slave.”
in Academical Questions (1805), Preface, p. 15 http://books.google.com/books?id=U9FOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR15

“I have them completely in hand here, they dare not take a step without first consulting me.”
Letter to Herbert Hagen about the Jewish community in Vienna (1938), as quoted in Eichmann Before Jerusalem: The Unexamined Life of a Mass Murderer by Bettina Stangneth (2015).

“He was passionate and thought he was wise; I was a fool and suspected it; I was nearer to wisdom.”
Il était passionné et se croyait sage; j'étais folle, mais je m'en doutais, et, sous ce point de vue, j'étais plus près que lui de la Sagesse.
Maximes et Pensées, #562
Maxims and Considerations

As quoted by Lama Surya Das, Huffington Post April 28, 2010 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lama-surya-das/spiritual-life-wisdom-an_b_552927.html.

“There are cases in which the greatest daring is the greatest wisdom.”
Variant: There are times when the utmost daring is the height of wisdom.
Source: On War (1832), Book 2

The Fourfold Treasure (1871) No. 991 http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0991.htm

“Fools learn wisdom through misfortune.”
Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus