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Quote by Stanislaw Lem

“Even a fool could see that one didn't need a war, nuclear or otherwise, to destroy oneself; the rising cost of weaponry could do that quite nicely.”

Quote by Stanislaw Lem

Work

Peace on Earth

This book delves into the multifaceted nature of peace on Earth, analyzing its significance across various historical periods and cultural contexts. It explores the philosophical underpinnings of peace, its role in different societies, and the challenges faced in achieving lasting harmony. The text provides a comprehensive overview of the concept, offering insights into its complexities and potential solutions. more

Author

Stanislaw Lem
Stanislaw Lem

Stanislaw Lem was a Polish science fiction novelist, writer, and philosopher. His works are renowned for their profound philosophical insights and unique literary style, profoundly influencing science fiction literature. Lem's many novels, including 'Solaris', 'Soylent Green', and 'Fahrenheit 451', have won widespread readership and numerous literary awards, and have inspired many writers to come. more

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“The twentieth century had dispensed with the formal declaration of war and introduced the fifth column, sabotage, cold war, and war by proxy, but that was only the begining. Summit meetings for disarmament pursued mutual understanding and a balance of power but were also held to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. The world of the war-or-peace alternative became a world in which war was peace and peace war.”

“Really, one of us ought to have the courage to call the experiment off and shoulder the responsibility for the decision, but the majority reckons that that kind of courage would be a sign of cowardice, and the first step in a retreat. They think it would mean an undignified surrender for mankind as if there was any dignity in floundering and drowning in what we don't understand and never will.”

“Each civilization may choose one of two roads to travel, that is, either fret itself to death, or pet itself to death. And in the course of doing one or the other, it eats its way into the Universe, turning cinders and flinders of stars into toilet seats, pegs, gears, cigarette holders and pillowcases, and it does this because, unable to fathom the Universe, it seeks to change that Fathomlessness into Something Fathomable.”

“Psychoanalysis provides truth in an infantile, that is, a schoolboy fashion: we learn from it, roughly and hurriedly, things that scandalize us and thereby command our attention. It sometimes happens, and such is the case here, that a simplification touching upon the truth, but cheaply, is of no more value than a lie. Once again we are shown the demon and the angel, the beast and the god locked in Manichean embrace, and once again man has been pronounced, by himself, not culpable.”