Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) was a German philosopher, physicist, and an important figure in the German Enlightenment. A satirist and writer of aphorisms, he is best known, apart from an experiment in xerographic electricity, for his derision of metaphysical and romantic extravagances.
Born in Ober-Ramstadt, near Darmstadt, State of Hesse, Lichtenberg was crippled by an accident in childhood. He was the 17th child of a Protestant pastor, who trained him in mathematics and the natural sciences. In 1763, Georg entered Göttingen University, where he taught until his death.
Lichtenberg researched geophysics, volcanology, meteorology, chemistry, astronomy, and mathematics. His most important studies were his experimentations into physics. Specifically, he constructed a massive electrophorus in 1777 and discovered the central principle of modern xerographic copying; the images that he reproduced are still termed “Lichtenberg figures.”
A satirist and humorist, Lichtenberg was one of the sharpest intellectuals and prose writers of the eighteenth century. Although Lichtenberg wrote no major creative works, he is well known for his brilliant satire on the Swiss philosopher Johann Kaspar Lavater’s Physiognomische Fragmente, appearing under the title Über Physiognomik, wider die Physiognomen (1778.)
Throughout his adult life, Lichtenberg kept notebooks he called Sudelbücher (“waste books.”) In them, he recorded quotations, sketched, and made brief observations on a variety of subjects from science to philosophy. First published posthumously in 1800–06, they became his best-known work and built his repute as an aphorist. Selections from the Sudelbücher were published in English as The Waste Books (2000.)
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Some theories are good for nothing except to be argued about.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Assumptions, Theory
Before we blame we should first see whether we cannot excuse.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Liberalism
The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Propaganda, Honesty
Much can be inferred about a man from his mistress: in her one beholds his weaknesses and his dreams.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Nature, Women, Men, Men & Women
There exists a species of transcendental ventriloquism by means of which men can be made to believe that something said on earth comes from Heaven.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Prophecy
To err is human also in so far as animals seldom or never err, or at least only the cleverest of them do so.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Mistakes
Once we know our weaknesses they cease to do us any harm.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Perfection
The most dangerous of all falsehoods is a slightly distorted truth.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Truth
Nothing can contribute more to peace of soul than the lack of any opinion whatever.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Indifference, Apathy
The human tendency to regard little things as important has produced very many great things.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Things, Little Things
He who is in love with himself has at least this advantage—he won’t encounter many rivals.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
If an angel were ever to tell us anything of his philosophy I believe many propositions would sound like 2 times 2 equals 13.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Angels, Religion
It often takes more courage to change one’s opinion than to stick to it.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Opinion, Change
The fly that doesn’t want to be swatted is most secure when it lights on the fly-swatter.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Courage
I have remarked very clearly that I am often of one opinion when I am lying down and of another when I am standing up…
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Opinion, Opinions
A clever child brought up with a foolish one can itself become foolish. Man is so perfectible and corruptible he can become a fool through good sense.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Fools, Foolishness
We cannot remember too often that when we observe nature, and especially the ordering of nature, it is always ourselves alone we are observing.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Nature
He was then in his fifty-fourth year, when even in the case of poets reason and passion begin to discuss a peace treaty and usually conclude it not very long afterwards.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Age, Aging
Even truth needs to be clad in new garments if it is to appeal to a new age.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Fashion
Man is a masterpiece of creation if for no other reason than that, all the weight of evidence for determinism notwithstanding, he believes he has free will.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Freedom
Just as we outgrow a pair of trousers, we outgrow acquaintances, libraries, principles, etc., at times before they’re worn out and times—and this is the worst of all—before we have new ones.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Change, Self-Discovery
In each of us there is a little of all of us.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: People
Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinion at all.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Virtue by premeditation isn’t worth much.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Virtue, Virtues
Men still have to be governed by deception.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Deception
I believe that man is in the last resort so free a being that his right to be what he believes himself to be cannot be contested.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Identity
The American who first discovered Columbus made a bad discovery.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Discovery
If moderation is a fault, then indifference is a crime.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Apathy
There is no more important rule of conduct in the world than this: attach yourself as much as you can to people who are abler than you and yet not so very different that you cannot understand them.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
First we have to believe, and then we believe.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Topics: Belief
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