A Quote by Jean-Baptiste Say

Nothing can be more idle than the opposition of theory to practice!

Jean-Baptiste Say

Quote Topics

Idle More Nothing Opposition Practice Than Theory

Quote Author

Jean-Baptiste Say
French - Economist
January 5, 1767 - November 15, 1832

There is a distinction, but no opposition, between theory and practice. Each to a certain extent supposes the other. Theory is dependent on practice; practice must have preceded theory.

Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet

Theory without practice is of little value, whereas practice is the proof of theory.Theory is the knowledge, practice the ability.

Alois Podhajsky

I believe without exception that theory follows practice. Whenever there is a conflict between theory and practice, theory is wrong. As far as I'm concerned, we make theories for what people have done.

David Baker

Nothing is more difficult and nothing requires more character than to find oneself in open opposition to ones time (and those one loves) and to say loudly: No!

Kurt Tucholsky

The difference between theory and practice is larger in practice than the difference between theory and practice in theory.

Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut

When I was in film school, I was learning more theory than practice.

Louis Leterrier

When I was in film school I was learning more theory than practice.

Louis Leterrier

Creationists reject Darwin's theory of evolution on the grounds that it is "just a theory". This is a valid criticism: evolution is indeed merely "a theory", albeit one with ten billion times more credence than the theory of creationism - although, to be fair, the theory of creationism is more than just a theory. It's also a fairy story. And children love fairy stories, which is presumably why so many creationists are keen to have their whimsical gibberish taught in schools.

Charlie Brooker

Critical reflection on practice is a requirement of the relationship between theory and practice. Otherwise theory becomes simply "blah, blah, blah, " and practice, pure activism.

Paulo Freire

An ounce of practice is generally worth more than a ton of theory.

E. F. Schumacher

[To organize a school] looks much more difficult in theory than it does in practice.

Amartya Sen

No "natural" resource is more precious and to be used more wisely than time. These mortal moments matter more than we know. There are no idle hours; there are only idle people. In true righteousness there is serenity, but there is an array of reminders that the "sacred present" is packed with possibilities which are slipping by us, which are going away from us each moment.

Neal A. Maxwell

In this nonfundamentalist understanding of faith, practice is more important than theory, love more important than law, and mystery is seen as an insight into truth rather than an obstacle. It is the great lie of our time that all religious faith has to be fundamentalist to be valid.

Andrew Sullivan

Nothing scares the army more than nonviolent opposition.

Julia Bacha

In sum: banking theory and practice, as immobilizing and fixating forces, fail to acknowledge men and women as historical beings; problem-posing theory and practice take the people's historicity as their starting point.

Paulo Freire

Socialism: nothing more than the theory that the slave is always more virtuous than his master.