It is easy for men to write and talk like philosophers, but to act with wisdom, there is the rub!
—Antoine de Rivarol (1753–1801) French Writer, Epigrammatist
Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Of what use is a philosopher who doesn’t hurt anybody’s feelings?
—Diogenes Laertius (f.3rd Century CE) Biographer of the Greek Philosophers
The most dangerous criminal now is the entirely lawless modern philosopher. Compared to him, burglars and bigamists are essentially moral men.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct; but to find these reasons is no less an instinct.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924 ) British Idealist Philosopher
Really, the fundamental, ultimate mystery—the only thing you need to know to understand the deepest metaphysical secrets—is this: that for every outside there is an inside and for every inside there is an outside, and although they are different, they go together.
—Alan Watts (1915–73) British-American Philosopher, Author
The perfection of wisdom, and the end of true philosophy is to proportion our wants to our possessions, our ambitions to our capacities, we will then be a happy and a virtuous people
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Many talk like philosophers yet live like fools.
—Common Proverb
Philosophers make imaginary laws for imaginary commonwealths, and their discourses are as the stars, which give little light because they are so high.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Every philosophy is tinged with the coloring of some secret imaginative background, which never emerges explicitly into its train of reasoning.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.
—Carl Sagan (1934–96) American Astronomer
The real discovery is the one which enables me to stop doing philosophy when I want to.—The one that gives philosophy peace, so that it is no longer tormented by questions which bring itself into question.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
Philosophy is the art and law of life, and it teaches us what to do in all cases, and, like good marksmen, to hit the white at any distance.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
To ridicule philosophy is really to philosophize
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
If you set your heart upon philosophy, you must straightway prepare yourself to be laughed at and mocked by many who will say Behold a philosopher arisen among us! or How came you by that brow of scorn? But do you cherish no scorn, but hold to those things which seem to you the best, as one set by God in that place. Remember too, that if you abide in those ways, those who first mocked you, the same shall afterwards reverence you; but if you yield to them, you will be laughed at twice as much as before.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
A great business at a fair price is superior to a fair business at a great price.
—Charlie Munger (b.1924) American Investor, Philanthropist
Philosophy recovers itself when it ceases to be the device for dealing with the problems of philosophers and becomes the method, cultivated by philosophers, for dealing with the problems of men.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
There’s a difference between a philosophy and a bumper sticker.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
Philosophy! Empty thinking by ignorant conceited men who think they can digest without eating!
—Iris Murdoch (1919–99) British Novelist, Playwright, Philosopher
The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
A metaphysician is one who, when you remark that twice two makes four, demands to know what you mean by twice, what by two, what by makes, and what by four. For asking such questions metaphysicians are supported in oriental luxury in the universities, and respected as educated and intelligent men.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Philosophy is the highest music
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
The ideals which have always shone before me and filled me with the joy of living are goodness, beauty, and truth. To make a goal of comfort or happiness has never appealed to me; a system of ethics built on this basis would be sufficient only for a herd of cattle.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I know that you, ladies and gentlemen, have a philosophy, each and all of you, and that the most interesting and important thing about you is the way in which it determines the perspective in your several worlds.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Truth in philosophy means that concept and external reality correspond.
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) German Philosopher
You cannot go on ‘explaining away’ for ever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away. You cannot go on ‘seeing through’ things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
While wading through the whimsies, the puerilities, and unintelligible jargon of this work [Plato’s Republic], I laid it down often to ask myself how it could have been that the world should have so long consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this?
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Why is it that you physicists always require so much expensive equipment? Now the Department of Mathematics requires nothing but money for paper, pencils, and erasers…and the Department of Philosophy is better still. It doesn’t even ask for erasers
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
May you live every day of your life.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Metaphysics means nothing but an unusually obstinate effort to think clearly.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Finding bad reasons for what one believes for other bad reasons—that’s philosophy.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
True philosophy is that which makes us to ourselves and to all about us, better; and at the same time, more content, patient, calm, and more ready for all decent and pure enjoyment.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
All work is an act of philosophy.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
Philosophy is to poetry, what old age is to youth; and the stern truths of philosophy are as fatal to the fictions of the one, as the chilling testimonies of experience are to the hopes of the other.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Bad philosophers may have a certain influence; good philosophers, never.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Philosophers should consider the fact that the greatest happiness principle can easily be made an excuse for a benevolent dictatorship. We should replace it by a more modest and more realistic principle—the principle that the fight against avoidable misery should be a recognized aim of public policy, while the increase of happiness should be left, in the main, to private initiative.
—Karl Popper (1902–94) Austrian-born British Philosopher
Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Tell me what gives a man or woman their greatest pleasure and I’ll tell you their philosophy of life.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Philosophy is of two kinds: that which relates to conduct, and that which relates to knowledge. The first teaches us to value all things at their real worth, to be contented with little, modest in prosperity, patient in trouble, equal-minded at all times. It teaches us our duty to our neighbor and ourselves. But it is he who possesses both that is the true philosopher. The more he knows, the more he is desirous of knowing; and yet the farther he advances in knowledge, the better he understands how little he can attain, and the more deeply he feels that God alone can satisfy the infinite desires of an immortal soul. To understand this is the height and perfection of philosophy.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
The philosopher must station themselves in the middle.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
And new Philosophy calls all in doubt, the element of fire is quite put out; the Sun is lost, and the earth, and no mans wit can well direct him where to look for it.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
Philosophy may teach us to bear with equanimity the misfortunes of our neighbors.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
It is a maxim received among philosophers themselves, from the days of Aristotle down to those of Sir William Hamilton, that philosophy ceases where truth is acknowledged.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
The traditional disputes of philosophers are, for the most part, as unwarranted as they are unfruitful.
—A. J. Ayer (1910–89) English Philosopher