Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ.
Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ.
Meaning in plain English
Great minds agreeing but fools rarely differing gives the same consensus two possible explanations. The saying questions agreement treated as proof of quality.
Example
Someone checks a shared conclusion’s reasons rather than accepting it because several people reached it.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
A responsible reading rejects the labels as judgments of human worth. A useful application checks why people agree and what evidence supports the shared conclusion. Agreement can reflect good reasoning, shared assumptions or a common error; disagreement alone does not prove superior insight either.
When to use it
Use it to examine agreement without intelligence rankings.
Keep in mind
No wisdom or foolishness established by consensus alone.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Country attributed by the collection
United Kingdom · source-attributed; earliest origin unverified
- Source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference
Supplied reference B; unit 966; PDF page 84; collection label: United Kingdom
Reuse and collection notes ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
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No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
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