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Quote by Leo Strauss

“Even by proving that a certain view is indispensable for living well, one proves merely that the view in question is a salutary myth: one does not prove it to be true.”

Quote by Leo Strauss

Book:Natural Right and History

Work

Natural Right and History

This book delves into the philosophical discourse surrounding the concept of natural rights and how they have evolved throughout history, examining the interplay between ethical principles and historical developments. more

Author

Leo Strauss was a prominent philosopher born on September 20, 1899, and died on October 18, 1973. His thoughts were deeply influenced by classical philosophy and German philosophy, especially by Martin Heidegger's philosophical ideas. Strauss's main contribution lies in his reinterpretation of political philosophy, emphasizing the close connection between political philosophy and moral philosophy. more

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“Philosophizing means, then, to ascend from public dogma to essentially private knowledge.”

Book:An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays

Source: An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays

“History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in favor of another by all men, or by all competent men, or perhaps by only the most vocal men; it does not teach us whether the change was sound or whether the rejected view deserved to be rejected. Only an impartial analysis of the view in question, an analysis that is not dazzled by the victory or stunned by the defeat of the adherents of the view concerned - could teach us anything regarding the worth of the view and hence regarding the meaning of the historical change.”

Men Doe Has Beens Given Sound Views Teach Victory Concerned Historical Defeat Favors Analysis Abandoned Rejected Vocal Competent Stunned Historical Change

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“To avert the danger [posed by theory] to life, Nietzsche could choose one of two ways: he could insist on the strictly esoteric character of the theoretical analysis of life - that is, restore the Platonic notion of the noble delusion - or else he could deny the possibility of theory proper and so conceive of thought as essentially subservient to, or dependent on, life or fate... If not Nietzsche himself, at any rate his successors [Heidegger] adopted the second alternative.”

“Nothing ought to be said or done which could create the impression that unbiased reconsideration of the most elementary premises of philosophy is a merely academic or historical affair.”

Said Done Philosophy Ought Historical Affair Impression Academic Premises Unbiased Reconsideration

Book:Natural Right and History

Source: Natural Right and History

“By realizing that we are ignorant of the most important things, we realize at the same time that the most important thing for us, or the one thing needful, is quest for knowledge of the most important things or quest for wisdom.”

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Book:Natural Right and History

Source: Natural Right and History

“Always warm up the audience with a joke....If you are not a particularly funny person, make sure that you inform them that it's a joke.”

Ifs Persons Audience Jokes Warm

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“The boss is never your friend, even if you're sleeping with him.”

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“Depression and hopelessness are not the only reasons terminally ill patients wish to end their lives. Many individuals see nothing undignified about choosing to end their lives at the time and manner of their choosing - and many view such a choice as the meaningful culmination of a good life.”

Ends Reason Choices Individual Wish Views Patient Ill Meaningful Good Life Hopelessness Culmination Terminally Ill

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“I don't paint, I hit.”

Book:Karel Appel: retrospective 1945-2005

Source: Karel Appel: retrospective 1945-2005

“Every day I have to be awake to escape.. ..The whole world is sleepy. It is a real fight to be awake, to see everything new, for the first time in your life.”

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