The intellectual attainments of a man who thinks for himself resemble a fine painting, where the light and shade are correct, the tone sustained, the colour perfectly harmonised; it is true to life. On the other hand, the intellectual attainments of the mere man of learning are like a large palette, full of all sorts of colours, which at most are systematically arranged, but devoid of harmony, connection and meaning. Arthur Schopenhauer
About This Quote

Albert Einstein was a physicist and a philosopher. His theories on relativity and quantum theory have changed the way we view the world, and he is credited with many other important scientific achievements. He’s also well known for his belief in the power of the individual to change the world. In this quote, he is comparing the intellect of man who thinks for himself with that of a man who is a mere man of learning.

The former, he says, resembles a fine painting because it has all the elements that make up a work of art: light, depth, colour and form that are all correct and nuanced. On the other hand, the intellect of man who thinks for himself resembles a large palette because it is all sorts of colours without any order or structure.

Source: Parerga And Paralipomena

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