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Wilhelm von Humboldt

Wilhelm von Humboldt Quotes

Philosopher

German philosopher, educator, and linguist, known as the 'Father of Educational Reform'. Wilhelm von Humboldt was born on June 22, 1767, and died on April 8, 1835. He had profound insights into education, language, and culture, which had a lasting impact on the world.

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All Men Humans May Ifs Feelings Doe Character Energy Important Individual Language Objects Real Should States World Action Duty Ends Eye

Famous Wilhelm von Humboldt Quotes

“The inquiry into the proper aims and limits of State agency must be of the highest importance nay, that it is perhaps more vitally momentous than any other political question.”

States Political Limits Highest Importance Aim Agency Inquiry

Author:Wilhelm von Humboldt

“All political arrangements, in that they have to bring a variety of widely-discordant interests into unity and harmony, necessarily occasion manifold collisions. From these collisions spring misproportions between men's desires and their powers; and from these, transgressions. The more active the State is, the greater is the number of these.”

Men States Political Desire Interest Numbers Greater Spring Harmony Unity Active Variety Occasions Arrangements Collision Transgression Manifold

Author:Wilhelm von Humboldt

“The State is not in itself an end, but is only a means towards human development.”

Humans Mean Ends States Development Human Development

Book:The Sphere and Duties of Government

Source: The Sphere and Duties of Government

“The very variety arising from the union of numbers of individuals is the highest good which social life can confer, and this variety is undoubtedly lost in proportion to the degree of State interference.”

States Individual Lost Social Numbers Degrees Highest Unions Variety Proportion Interference Social Life

Author:Wilhelm von Humboldt

“The state should avoid all solicitude for the positive welfare of its citizens, and not proceed a step further than is necessary for their mutual security and their protection against foreign enemies. It should impose restrictions on freedom for no other purpose.”

Should States Purpose Liberty Steps Enemy Security Citizens Protection Welfare Mutual Restriction Solicitude

Author:Wilhelm von Humboldt

About the Author

Born: June 22, 1767
Died: April 8, 1835
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 83

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Men Humans May Ifs Feelings Doe Character Energy Important Individual Language Objects Real Should States World Action Duty Ends Eye

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People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Limits of State ActionRelated source material

Linguistic variability & intellectual developmentRelated source material

The Sphere and Duties of GovernmentRelated source material

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