“Since we nowadays think that all a man needs for acquisition of truth is to exert his brain more or less vigorously, and since we consider an ascetic approach to knowledge hardly sensible, we have lost the awareness of the close bond that links the knowing of truth to the condition of purity. Thomas says that unchastity's first-born daughter is blindness of the spirit. Only he who wants nothing for himself, who not subjectively 'interested,' can know the truth. On the other hand, an impure, selfishly corrupted will-to-pleasure destroys both resoluteness of spirit and the ability of the psyche to listen in silent attention to the language of reality.”
Quote by Josef Pieper
Author
Josef Pieper
Josef Pieper was a German philosopher known for his research into the Western philosophical tradition and his critical analysis of modern culture. His works covered various fields such as ethics, political philosophy, and aesthetics, and had a profound impact on contemporary philosophy and the intellectual world. more
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