Voltaire Quotes

Writer

Voltaire, a French Enlightenment philosopher, writer, and thinker, was born on November 21, 1694, and died on May 30, 1778. He had a profound impact on philosophy, literature, and science in France and Europe with his sharp wit and critical spirit.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Ifs Atheism Candide Knows Religion Life Should Inspirational Philosophy Thinking World Believe Reason Doe Has Beens People History Humans Funny

Famous Voltaire Quotes

“Those who can make people believe absurdities, can make people commit atrocities.”

Philosophy Evil Putin Misinformation Conspiracy Theories Clickbait

Author:Voltaire

“What is 'optimism'?" asked Cacambo. "It's the madness of maintaining that everything is good even though things are going badly.”

Philosophy Optimism

Book:Candide

Source: Candide

“men must have changed their nature; because men were not born wolves, they have become wolves. God has not given them twenty-four-pounders nor bayonets, yet they made bayonets and cannons in order to destroy one another.”

Philosophy Violence Human Nature Social Issues

Book:Candide

Source: Candide

“I have hardly ever seen a town that didn't wish the destruction of its neighbour, and never a family that didn't want to extirpate another. Everywhere you go, the weak loathe the powerful at whose the feet they crawl. And the rich treat them like flocks whose wool and meat they sell.”

Philosophy Human Nature Economic Disparity Social Structure

Book:Candide

Source: Candide

“But to what end was the world created, then?" asked Candide. "To drive us mad," replied Martin.”

Philosophy Madness Purpose Of Life Pessimism

Book:Candide

Source: Candide

“I do not know by what power I think; but well I know that I should never have thought without the assistance of my senses. That there are immaterial and intelligent substances I do not at all doubt; but that it is impossible for God to communicate the faculty of thinking to matter, I doubt very much. I revere the Eternal Power, to which it would ill become me to prescribe bounds. I affirm nothing, and am contented to believe that many things are possible than are usually thought so".”

Thinking Soul Philosophy Thought

Author:Voltaire

“L'homme est libre au moment qu'il veut l'être.”

Inspirational Philosophy

Author:Voltaire

“All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.”

Thinking World Art Philosophy History Positive Thinking Philosophical Howards End Candide Pandora's Box

Author:Voltaire

“Pleasantry is never good on serious points, because it always regards subjects in that point of view in which it is not the purpose to consider them.”

Philosophy Purpose Views Subjects Serious Regard Point Of View Pleasantries

Book:Delphi Collected Works of Voltaire (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Collected Works of Voltaire (Illustrated)

“Why, since we are always complaining of our ills, are we constantly employed in redoubling them?”

Philosophy Complaining Employed Always Complaining

Book:A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

Source: A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

“We offer up prayers to god only because we have made him after our own image. We treat him like a pasha, or a sultan, who is capable of being exasperated and appeased.”

Made Philosophy Prayer Offers Capable Treats

Book:A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

Source: A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

“When one man speaks to another man who doesn't understand him, and when a man who's speaking no longer understands, it's metaphysics.”

Men Philosophy Speak One Man Metaphysics Another Man

Author:Voltaire

“The necessity of saying something, the embarrassment produced by the consciousness of having nothing to say, and the desire to exhibit ability, are three things sufficient to render even a great man ridiculous.”

Men Philosophy Desire Three Ability Consciousness Ridiculous Sufficient Great Men Three Things Embarrassment Exhibits

Book:A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

Source: A Philosophical Dictionary: From the French

“When he who hears does not know what he who speaks means, and when he who speaks does not know what he himself means, that is philosophy.”

Knows Mean Doe Philosophy Speak

Author:Voltaire

“Superstition sets the whole world in flames, but philosophy douses them.”

World Philosophy Whole Revolution Whole World Flames Superstitions French Revolution

Author:Voltaire

“If God did not exist, he would have to be invented.”

Ifs Philosophy Flour Eels

Book:Voltaire in His Letters: Being a Selection from His Correspondence

Source: Voltaire in His Letters: Being a Selection from His Correspondence

“The system of Descartes... seemed to give a plausible reason for all those phenomena; and this reason seemed more just, as it is simple and intelligible to all capacities. But in philosophy, a student ought to doubt of the things he fancies he understands too easily, as much as of those he does not understand.”

Giving Doe Reason Philosophy Science Simple Doubt Students Ought Capacity Fancy Plausible

Book:VOLTAIRE – Premium Collection: Novels, Philosophical Writings, Historical Works, Plays, Poems & Letters (60+ Works in One Volume) - Illustrated: Candide, A Philosophical Dictionary, A Treatise on Toleration, Plato's Dream, The Princess of Babylon, Zadig, The Huron, Socrates, The Sage and the Atheist, Dialogues, Oedipus, Caesar…

Source: VOLTAIRE – Premium Collection: Novels, Philosophical Writings, Historical Works, Plays, Poems & Letters (60+ Works in One Volume) - Illustrated: Candide, A Philosophical Dictionary, A Treatise on Toleration, Plato's Dream, The Princess of Babylon, Zadig, The Huron, Socrates, The Sage and the Atheist, Dialogues, Oedipus, Caesar…

“All the arts are brothers; each one is a light to the others.”

Art Philosophy Light History Brother

Author:Voltaire

“I read these words which are the sum of all moral philosophy, and which cut short all the disputes of the casuists: When in doubt if an action is good or bad, refrain.”

Ifs Philosophy Action Religion Moral Doubt Cutting Morality Disputes Refrain When In Doubt Moral Philosophy

Book:The Portable Voltaire

Source: The Portable Voltaire

“Common sense is not so common.”

Life Philosophy Wisdom Science Common Intelligence Witty Common Sense Vegan Rationality Practicality Lack Of Common Sense Enlightenment Thinkers

Author:Voltaire

“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”