The unphilosophical majority among men are the ones most helplessly dependent on their era's dominant ideas. In times of crises read more

The unphilosophical majority among men are the ones most helplessly dependent on their era's dominant ideas. In times of crises these men need the guidance of some kind of theory; but, being unfamiliar with the field of ideas, they do not know that alternatives to the popular theories are possible. They know only what they have always been taught.

The true function of art is to...edit nature and so make it coherent and lovely. The artist is a sort read more

The true function of art is to...edit nature and so make it coherent and lovely. The artist is a sort of impassioned proofreader, blue-penciling the bad spelling of God.

One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. read more

One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. Irrationality often manifests itself in upholding the word against the evidence of the eyes.Children, savages, and true believers remember far less what they have seen than what they have heard.

There are two modes of acquiring knowledge, namely by reasoning and experience. Reasoning draws a conclusion and makes us grant read more

There are two modes of acquiring knowledge, namely by reasoning and experience. Reasoning draws a conclusion and makes us grant the conclusion, but does not make the conclusion certain, nor does it remove doubt so that the mind may rest on the intuition of truth, unless the mind discovers it by the path of experience.

A kiss to or from a woman we love is a far too delicate pledge of affection to bear the read more

A kiss to or from a woman we love is a far too delicate pledge of affection to bear the gaze of strangers.

Add a few drops of malice to a half truth and you have an absolute truth.

Add a few drops of malice to a half truth and you have an absolute truth.

The power of habit and the charm of novelty are the two adverse forces which explain the follies of mankind.

The power of habit and the charm of novelty are the two adverse forces which explain the follies of mankind.

There is nothing so awkward as courting a woman whilst she is making sausages.

There is nothing so awkward as courting a woman whilst she is making sausages.

If we were to ask the brain how it would like to be treated, whether shaken at a random, irregular read more

If we were to ask the brain how it would like to be treated, whether shaken at a random, irregular rate, or in a rhythmic, harmonious fashion, we can be sure that the brain, or for that matter the whole body, would prefer the latter.