Consequently the student who is devoid of talent will derive no more profit from this work than barren soil from a treatise on agriculture.
QuintilianRead
For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that it is preferable for humans to be devoid of reason than to use their reasoning to harm others.
Quintilian reflects on the moral responsibility that comes with human reason and intelligence. He argues that if humans use their abilities to harm and destroy one another, it would be better for them to have never possessed such gifts of reason. This statement highlights the profound ethical implications of how individuals choose to use their intellectual abilities, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding rather than cruelty.
Themes
ReasonHarmMoral ResponsibilityIntelligenceWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on ethics, one can use this quote to illustrate the importance of using reason for good.
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Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing, it grows too late to begin it.
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A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.
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An evil-speaker differs from an evil-doer only in the want of opportunity.
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It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.
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