Talk:pinhead

Possible derivation of "fool" sense

While searching for quotations for the various senses of "pinhead", I found this possible origin for the popularization of the sense of "an ignorant, naïve, foolish, and stupid person":

• 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature, The Modern Library, page 354,

  But when the intellect, as in this Louis, is originally no larger than a pin's head, and cherishes ideas of God of corresponding smallness, the result, notwithstanding the heroism put forth, is on the whole repulsive.

I found at least one citation of this use 31 years later:

• 1933, Paulist Fathers, Catholic World, page 226,

  His beau ideal may be Don Juan, and he may consider St. Aloysius, as did William James, in his Varieties of Religious Experience, a "pinhead…"

(I'm nor sure if the context matches exactly, as Google Book Search cuts off the quote too soon, and doesn't show the correct section in its preview.) I'm not yet familiar enough with Wiktionary's pratices to know where, how, or even if to place this information, so I'm posting it here for more experience Wiktionarians to add if desired. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 10:46, 30 April 2008 (UTC)