“The less somebody knows and understand himself the less great he is, however great may be his talent. For this reason our scientists are not great.”
Source: Culture and Value (1980), p. 51e
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Ludwig Wittgenstein 228
Austrian-British philosopher 1889–1951Related quotes

“Upstart greatness is everywhere less respected than ancient greatness.”
Source: (1776), Book V, Chapter I, Part II, p. 773.

Letter to Coventry Patmore (4 June 1886)
Letters, etc

In the House of Commons, February 28, 1906 speech South African native races http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1906/feb/28/south-african-native-races#S4V0152P0_19060228_HOC_307
Early career years (1898–1929)

remarks (2 May 1956) at a Caltech YMCA lunch forum http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/49/2/Religion.htm
Context: In this age of specialization men who thoroughly know one field are often incompetent to discuss another. The great problems of the relations between one and another aspect of human activity have for this reason been discussed less and less in public. When we look at the past great debates on these subjects we feel jealous of those times, for we should have liked the excitement of such argument. The old problems, such as the relation of science and religion, are still with us, and I believe present as difficult dilemmas as ever, but they are not often publicly discussed because of the limitations of specialization.

As quoted in Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern English and Foreign Sources (1899) by James Wood, p. 6

“As power becomes great, concupiscence grows less.”
History of the Caliphs, p. 263