Philosophy Quotes

Questions about meaning, existence, and truth from thinkers who spent their lives searching for answers.

43879 quotes

C
"The order we observe in nature invites us to discover the order within ourselves."
Christian Wolff
C
"The universal principles that govern stars and atoms also govern human affairs."
Christian Wolff
C
"The rational examination of one's own nature leads to authentic self-knowledge."
Christian Wolff
C
"The strength of an argument lies not in the force of its expression but in the clarity of its reasoning."
Christian Wolff
G
"The nature of things is nothing other than their coming into being at certain times and in certain ways."
Giovanni Vico
G
"The ideal of the human mind is the contemplation of eternal truths."
Giovanni Vico
G
"Human beings are the only creatures capable of understanding their own nature."
Giovanni Vico
G
"The pursuit of pleasure without reason leads to the destruction of the soul."
Giovanni Vico
G
"The soul is the seat of all human faculties and powers."
Giovanni Vico
G
"The evolution of human thought follows a discernible pattern through the ages."
Giovanni Vico
G
"Reason must always be guided by virtue in human conduct."
Giovanni Vico
G
"The human being is a microcosm reflecting the structure of the universe."
Giovanni Vico
G
"Human nature contains within itself both the seeds of greatness and corruption."
Giovanni Vico
H
"The source of all great things must be sought in the depths of the human heart."
Hugo Grotius
H
"Philosophy teaches us not what to think, but how to think."
Hugo Grotius
J
"We are all threads in the great tapestry of humanity."
Johann Herder
J
"The roots of humanity reach deep into the soil of tradition and culture."
Johann Herder
J
"The development of humanity is the development of human consciousness."
Johann Herder
J
"The unity of mankind is found in the diversity of human expression."
Johann Herder
J
"We are all chapters in the great book of human history."
Johann Herder
J
"Every nation is a link in the great chain of human development."
Johann Herder
J
"Every generation must discover anew the truths that give life meaning."
Johann Herder
C
"A rational being must examine the foundations of their own beliefs."
Catharine Macaulay
C
"The philosopher must remain independent, beholden to truth alone."
Catharine Macaulay
C
"The capacity for moral reasoning exists in women as fully as in men."
Catharine Macaulay
C
"A rational creature cannot be content in a state of enforced dependency."
Catharine Macaulay
J
"The measure of a state is not its gold, but its virtue."
Jean Bodin
J
"A society that neglects its philosophers will be ruled by its demagogues."
Jean Bodin
J
"Philosophy without practice is empty; practice without philosophy is blind."
Jean Bodin
F
"The sublime is that which makes us feel small but grand within ourselves."
Friedrich Schiller