Scientia potentia est, sed parva; quia scientia egregia rara est, nec proinde apparens nisi paucissimis, et in paucis rebus. Scientiae enim ea natura est, ut esse intelligi non possit, nisi ab illis qui sunt scientia praediti.
Interpretation
Knowledge is powerful, but rare. True understanding is not easily recognized and is typically held by a few.
The quote by Thomas Hobbes suggests that while knowledge has the potential to empower individuals, it is often scarce and not readily apparent to most people. True knowledge requires a deep comprehension that can only be attained by those specially equipped with the ability to grasp it. This highlights the rarity of profound understanding and the selectivity of those who actually possess significant knowledge.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of education, one could say, 'As Hobbes noted, knowledge is powerful yet rare.'
Baptism is the sacrament of allegiance of them that are to be received into the Kingdom of God, that is to say, into Eternal life, that is to say, to Remission of Sin. For as Eternal life was lost by the committing, so it is recovered by the remitting of men's sins.
Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.
The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.
They that approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that dislike it, heresy; and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion.
Maverick is a word which appeals to me more than misfit. Maverick is active, misfit is passive.
Does anybody think these people were just sitting around drinking tea?
Man's brain may be compared to an electric battery...a group of electric batteries will provide more energy than a single battery.
Nine-tenths of the miseries and vices of mankind proceed from idleness.
Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes...you're Doing Something.
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