The Dunce Cap Used to Be a Compliment
In the 13th century, a philosopher named John Duns Scotus believed that wearing a pointed cap would help spread knowledge that fell to the bottom of the brain back to the top. Since there was no way to disprove him, scholars that called themselves the "Dunsmen" would wear them while they studied. After the idea was toppled by modern science, "Duns" was changed to "dunce," and the cap signified someone was gullible enough to believe something so preposterous.
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