What does, 'The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing' mean, and where is it from?

Answer 1

It means that a simple tried, tested and reliable solution will usually be able to cope with most problems. The fox is cunning, and can try many different forms of attack - however the hedgehog knows that all it has to do is curl into a ball, and it will be safe from whatever the fox tries.
Can't help with the origins though.

Answer 2

I think the descriptions of behavior may be apt in a very generic sense, but I feel the anthropomorphic use of animals has a danger of bringing connotations that imply value judgments the behavior descriptions don't implicitly assign. I would instead ask are Christians top down thinkers while Atheists are bottom up thinkers? Personally, I also think that the statement that Atheists consider competing views to be somewhat inaccurate. Agnostics frequently consider all competing views because they haven't come to a decision about theism or atheism. By definition Atheists have made a decision about the non-existence of the divine, and thus reject opposing views on the matter or stop being Atheists to become Agnostics. If you want to use an example of cognitively flexible behavior, then you should also consider primates as tool users to be at a higher level of cognitive reasoning than a fox. I also don't know that foxes or Atheists express their ego in a modest manner per say. In terms of self-criticism I am only aware of humans demonstrating that characteristic, though many mammals can learn through the process of trial and error. There is also the concept you are implying through anthropomorphic description that Hedgehogs stand their ground when under duress, while Foxes steal from chicken pens, then run and hide while trying to deceive their attackers. I'm sure many Atheists might object to the characterization as a thieving deceitful coward. So thus we can see the problems with describing behaviors and traits as virtues through anthropomorphic description. It depends on which qualities the other side might try to emphasize in making their counter argument. So my point is that Christians are Christians and Atheists are Atheists. In this instance why not call someone what they are without trying to imply value judgements by using metaphors. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

The Fox And The Hedgehog

Answer 4

Hedgehog And Fox

Answer 5

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Is THAT where that came from? Woody Allen wrote this whole hedgehog/foxes bit into his movie "Husbands and Wives." I didn't quite get it, but now it has brought on a whole new meaning. I love that film, it's completely high-brow and under-appreciated among film fans. Now I like it even more, so thanks. To answer your question, especially within the confines of Y!A and the questions asked by both: I would say both Atheists and Christians contain both hedgehogs and foxes among their followers.

Answer 6

This saying makes refererence to a book by Isaah Berlin called "The Hedghog". He makes references to the fact that while a fox knows lots of things and uses many experiences to guide his life, the hedgehog sees the world through one universal principle. Berlin used this metaphor to classify philosophers as foxes or hedgehogs. Examples of hedgehogs were Dante and Plato. Foxes were Shakespeare and Aristotle.
The original quote was from the Greek poet Archilochus
and the quote was recorded in Erasmus Rotterdamus's Adagia
as "Multa novit volpes, verum echinus unum magnum".

Answer 7

According to: http://www.bartleby.com/66/28/6928.html that was wriiten by the Greek poet Archilochus. I believe it means that some people have a shallow knowledge of many areas. Other people are experts in a particlular area and are not well rounded in knowing things outside their particular focus.

Answer 8

sonic the hedgehog