Quotes About Philosophy

As I write down my thought it sometimes escapes me, but that reminds me of my weakness, which I am always forgetting, and teaches me as much as my forgotten thought, for I care only about knowing that I am nothing.

There are three sources of belief: reason, custom, inspiration.

Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.

Let us weigh up the gain and the loss involved in calling heads that God exists. Let us assess the two cases: if you win you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing. Do not hesitate then; wager that he does exist.

Sceptic, mathematician, Christian; doubt, affirmation, submission.

If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous.

Since [man's] true nature has been lost, anything can become his nature: similarly, true good being lost, anything can become his true good.

God is or He is not. But to which side shall we incline? Let us weigh the gain and the lose in wagering that God is. Let us estimate the two changes. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, lose nothing. Wager then without any hesitation that He is

The immortality of the soul is a matter which is of so great consequence to us, and which touches us so profoundly, that we must have lost all feeling to be indifferent as to knowing what it is.

The greatness of man is great in that he knows himself to be miserable. A tree does not know itself to be miserable. It is then being miserable to know oneself to be miserable; but it is also being great to know that one is miserable.

What reason for vanity in being plunged into impenetrable darkness?

Do they think that they have given us great pleasure by telling us that they hold our soul to be no more than wind or smoke, and saying it moreover in tones of pride and satisfaction? Is this then something to be said gaily? Is it not on the contrary something to be said sadly, as being the saddest thing in the world?

91] Cause and effect. One must have deeper motives and judge everything accordingly, but go on talking like an ordinary person.

The eternal silence of these infinite spaces fills me with dread.

The last function of reason is to recognize that there is an infinity of things which are beyond it. It is but feeble if it does not see so far as to know this.

One must know oneself. If this does not serve to discover truth, it at least serves as a rule of life, and there is nothing better.

Man is obviously made for thinking. Therein lies all his dignity and his merit; and his whole duty is to think as he ought.

If our condition were truly happy we should not need to divert ourselves from thinking about it. (12)

For in fact what is man in nature? A Nothing in comparison with the Infinite, an All in comparison with the Nothing, a mean between nothing and everything.

É impossível compreender que Deus exista, e é também impossível compreender que não exista; que a alma esteja unida ao corpo, e que não exista alma; que o mundo tenha sido criado, e que não tenha sido criado...

And if it were true, we do not think all philosophy is worth one hour of pain.

Nada nos puede consolar cuando lo pensamos detenidamente.

Denying, believing and doubting are to men what running is to horses.

I can certainly imagine a man without hands, feet, or head, for it is only experience that teaches us that the head is more necessary than the feet. But I cannot imagine a man without thought; he would be a stone or an animal.