Philosophy Quotes

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

43879 quotes

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"Philosophy teaches us not what to think, but how to think."
John Jacob Astor
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"The greatest voyage is not across the seas, but within oneself."
Stephen Girard
S
"A life dedicated to accumulation is a life wasted in emptiness."
Stephen Girard
"A man without purpose is a man adrift."
Cornelius Vanderbilt II
"The man who serves others serves himself best."
Cornelius Vanderbilt II
"A man's greatest enemy is often himself."
Cornelius Vanderbilt II
"The man who lives for others finds meaning in his own life."
Cornelius Vanderbilt II
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"The strength of a nation lies not in its wealth but in the character of its citizens."
William K. Vanderbilt
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"I believe that the pursuit of wealth without the pursuit of virtue is a hollow victory."
William K. Vanderbilt
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"The modern industrialist is a builder of civilization, not merely a maker of profit."
William K. Vanderbilt
W
"A man's worth is ultimately determined by the width of his vision and the depth of his principles."
William K. Vanderbilt
R
"The public and private good are identical."
Robert Owen
R
"Society exists for the benefit of all its members."
Robert Owen
R
"Reason and benevolence must guide human affairs."
Robert Owen
R
"Every man owes his being to society."
Robert Owen
R
"The cooperative principle is the law of nature."
Robert Owen
R
"Society must be reconstructed on principles of science and reason."
Robert Owen
"The measure of a man is not his wealth but his works."
Matthew Boulton
"Philosophy is the art of asking the right questions."
Matthew Boulton
W
"To understand the future, one must learn to read the past."
William Astor
W
"The mind is the greatest kingdom we will ever rule."
William Astor
J
"A fortune without a philosophy behind it is merely numbers on a ledger."
John Jacob Astor
"Resistance to progress is resistance to life itself."
Jedediah Strutt
"Philosophy without practical application is mere fancy."
Jedediah Strutt
"The philosophical life is lived through action, not thought alone."
Jedediah Strutt
J
"The man who understands the law of supply and demand understands the law of life."
John Jacob Astor
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"To understand others is to understand yourself."
William K. Vanderbilt
R
"The factory system is not cruelty; it is the necessary price of progress."
Richard Arkwright
R
"In machinery, as in life, every part must serve the greater whole."
Richard Arkwright
R
"Every improvement in machinery is a step toward human liberation through productive capacity."
Richard Arkwright