Category: Thought

“Names and attributes must be accommodated to the essence of things, and not the essence to the names, since things come first and names afterwards.”

Philosophy is written in that great book which ever lies before our eyes — I mean the universe — but we cannot understand it if we do not first learn the language and grasp the symbols, in which it is written.

In the sciences the authority of thousands of opinions is not worth as much as one tiny spark of reason in an individual man.

It goes without saying that any persons may attempt to unite kindred spirits, but, whatever their hopes and longings, none have the right to impose their vision of unity upon the rest.

You can’t satisfy everybody; especially if there are those who will be dissatisfied unless not everybody is satisfied.

Philosophical argument, trying to get someone to believe something whether he wants to believe it or not, is not, I have held, a nice way to behave towards someone; also it does not fit the original motivation for studying or entering philosophy. That motivation is puzzlement, curiousity, a desire to understand, not a desire to produce uniformity of belief. Most people do not want to become thought-police. The philosophical goal of explanation rather than proof not only is morally better, it is more in accord with one’s philosophical motivation.

The socialist society would have to forbid capitalist acts between consenting adults.

Individuals have rights and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights). So strong and far-reaching are these rights that they raise the question of what, if anything, the state and its officials may do. How much room do individual rights leave for the state?

To each as they choose, from each as they are chosen.