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Quote by Ambrose Bierce

“PRE-EXISTENCE, n. An unnoted factor in creation.”

Quote by Ambrose Bierce

Book:The Devil's Dictionary

Work

The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary is a collection of satirical and often scathing definitions compiled by Ambrose Bierce. It was originally published in 1911 and is known for its wit and sharp social commentary. The dictionary features definitions that are often the opposite of the conventional meanings, reflecting Bierce's sharp wit and critical perspective on human nature and society. more

Author

Ambrose Bierce was an American journalist, satirist, and editor, renowned for his sharp wit and dark humor. He is best known for his satirical novel 'The Devil's Dictionary' and his short stories. Bierce was born on June 24, 1842, and his exact date of death remains unknown, as he disappeared during the American Civil War. more

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“NOUMENON, n. That which exists, as distinguished from that which merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon. The noumenon is a bit difficult to locate; it can be apprehended only by a process of reasoning - which is a phenomenon.”

Seems Bits Process Difficult Existence Reasoning Latter Phenomenon Distinguished

Book:The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World

Source: The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World

“MATERIAL, adj. Having an actual existence, as distinguished from an imaginary one. Important.”

Important Existence Materials Imaginary Distinguished

Book:The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary

Source: The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary

“INCOMPOSSIBLE, adj. Unable to exist if something else exists. Two things are incompossible when the world of being has scope enough for one of them, but not enough for both - as Walt Whitman's poetry and God's mercy to man.”

Ifs Men World Two Enough Poetry Existence Mercy Two Things Scope Walt

Book:The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World

Source: The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World

“To be an abstraction does not mean that an entity is nothing. It merely means that its existence is only a factor of a more concrete element of nature.”

Mean Doe Nature Existence Elements Factors Concrete Entity Abstraction

Book:The Concept of Nature: Tarner Lectures

Source: The Concept of Nature: Tarner Lectures

“Disputing the commonsense notion that all events require the prior existence of some underlying matter or substance. There is no antecedent static cabinet.”

Matter Existence Events Notion Substance Static Cabinets

Author:Alfred North Whitehead

“So far as the mere imparting of information is concerned, no university has had any justification for existence since the popularization of printing in the fifteenth century.”

Existence Century Information Concerned Mathematics Mere University Math Mathematical Justification Printing

Author:Alfred North Whitehead

“I think what we like about music - and what we like about art in general....is that enterprise that stops our minds from spinning. Because we're always all over the place. A good song, a good lyric is a movie: it will just focus and calm and confer significance on this completely bewildering reality that all of us live in.”

Thinking Mind Art Reality Song Focus Calm Enterprise Significance Existential Spinning Good Lyric

Author:Leonard Cohen

“Be wary of too much calm, particularly in your mid-fifties.”

Too Much Calm Existential

Author:Ian Mcewan

“Most people are other people.”

People Existential

Author:Oscar Wilde

“I think the tragic feeling is invoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing -- his sense of personal dignity.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Character Feelings One Thing Ready Dignity Lays Secure Tragic Personal Dignity

Book:Collected Essays: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: Collected Essays: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)