“The sure conviction that we could if we wanted to is the reason so many good minds are idle.” IfsMindReasonActionWantedConvictionIdleGood Mind Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“He was then in his fifty-fourth year, when even in the case of poets reason and passion begin to discuss a peace treaty and usually conclude it not very long afterwards.” YearsLongReasonAgeTimePassionPeaceCasesPoetAgingFiftyFourthTreatiesPeace TreatiesFourth Year Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Man is a masterpiece of creation if for no other reason than that, all the weight of evidence for determinism notwithstanding, he believes he has free will.” IfsMenBelieveReasonCreationEvidenceWeightFree WillMasterpieceDeterminism Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Good taste is either that which agrees with my taste or that which subjects itself to the rule of reason. From this we can see how useful it is to employ reason in seeking out the laws of taste.” ReasonLawSubjectsTasteAgreeSeekingGood Taste Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Reason now gazes above the realm of the dark but warm feelings as the Alpine peaks do above the clouds. They behold the sun more clearly and distinctly, but they are cold and unfruitful.” WarReasonFeelingsDarkSunColdCloudsWarmRealmsAbove The CloudsAlpine Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Man is to be found in reason, God in the passions.” MenReasonGodPassionFound Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Pain warns us not to exert our limbs to the point of breaking them. How much knowledge would we not need to recognize this by the exercise of mere reason.” NeedsReasonPainExerciseMereLimbs Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again - and, moreover, give reasons why we believe.” GivingFirstsBelieveLittlesReasonDiscriminationReason Why Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“Perhaps pure reason without heart would never have thought of God.” HeartReasonPure Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
“People often become scholars for the same reason they become soldiers: simply because they are unfit for any other station. Their right hand has to earn them a livelihood; one might say they lie down like bears in winter and seek sustenance from their paws.” PeopleReasonHandsMightLyingBearsWinterSoldierStationsScholarLivelihoodSustenancePaws Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg
