"Two qualities are indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to follow this faint light wherever it may lead."
— Carl von Clausewitz
Two Qualities Are Indispensable First An
Two qualities are indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to follow this faint light wherever it may lead.
About this quote
From On War, this passage is part of Clausewitz's extended analysis of military genius — the qualities that allow a commander to function effectively amid the "fog of war." The first quality, the "inner light," refers to what he calls coup d'oeil: the intuitive grasp of a situation that goes beyond analytical reasoning. The second, moral courage, is distinct from physical bravery; it is the willingness to act on one's judgment even when circumstances are dark and the outcome uncertain. Together they define the commander as someone who acts from within, not from external instruction.
Source
On War, 1832