I do not say with Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living–that would be
unnecessarily harsh. However, when we guide our lives by our own pondered thoughts, it is then our life that we are living, not someone else’s. In this sense the unexamined life is not lived as fully. ~ Robert Nozick
My wife has made my quotes page easier to navigate. At the top of the page, all quote topics are listed and linked to. That way readers can know the quote topics and easily navigate to them.
I really like good quotes as they get to the heart of an issue in few words. Great quotes have always made a clear and memorable imprint in my mind—someday I’d like to write a book using mostly quotes to explain much of my philosophy. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy perusing my collection of quotes that have been amassed from a lifetime of reading.
Finally, I would like to thank Jane for the hours she spent on the quotes page and for all the work she has done through the years on the website. I have no facility in programming whatsoever so this site is as much hers as it is mine. There would be no site without here. Thank you Jane.
a great idea, I would buy the book. Maybe even doing a short commentary on each quote with examples or ways that are personal to you, similar to some modern books of Eastern philosophy that explain away sayings of figures like Lao Tzu. Of course, Russell is the exact opposite of obscure sayings drawn from Eastern philosophy. He is as clear as spring water. But I think that a great quote can also inspire a personal train of thought 🙂
Anyways, I have also been curious about your other books, soon or later I will have to read at least one. So many books, but there’s the desire to read them all.
Here’s a quote by Schopenhauer that I find puzzling: “Reading books, yes! If only we could, when we buy the book, also buy the time required to read it!”.
Ah ah….sometimes it is hard what to make of some quotes 🙂
Your thoughts remind me of a post I did some time ago:
https://reasonandmeaning.com/2019/11/08/so-much-to-learn-so-little-time/
thanks for the comments.
thank you, I have read it now. Actually, I commented and got carried away. My comment agreed with all you wrote, with some elaborations. Ironically, the comment was too long and didn’t want to take your time to read it, which is exactly the topic in your article, ha ha. 🙂 Just filed the thing away. Your article was stimulating, as always.
Thanks!
thanks for your kind words Luigi Hope thing are going well in England. (I think you told me you were in England.)
Thanks, John, I also hope all is well with you there. Yes you are correct, I am in England. How are things going here? On the “external” level, it is the same old, foolish world riddled with madness and nonsense, I still can’t believe that there’s people who think vaccines are a conspiracy, or not worth getting. Some of them died. How dumb can one be? Oh well. We can only observe, and try to not be too amused. Other than that, I continue to try to learn something. I wish you a great week ahead. Keep up the great work, and thank you!
thanks for your kind words Luigi. Given our long evolutionary history—humans are basically apes in clothes—it isn’t surprising that we do so many stupid and immoral things. As I’ve said many times I don’t see how we survive without moral and intellectual enhancement.
Have always been drawn to the ability of cartoonists, poets and quotes to reduce profundities to their essence. Two of my favorite sayings are: “What is man that thou art mindful of him” (Psalm 8:4). And folks that say: “I love what I do and can’t believe I’m paid for it.” Would that we all could find such meaningful work.