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Human Nature Quotes

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Human Nature Quotes

“A great and frequent error in our judgment of human nature is to suppose that those sentiments and feelings have no existence, which may be only for a time concealed. The precious metals are not found at the surface of the earth, except in sandy places.”

Humans May Character Feelings Earth Found Existence Human Nature Judgment Errors Surface Sentiments Metals Concealed Sandy Precious Metal

Book:Essays and aphorisms

Source: Essays and aphorisms

“Trusting people to be creative and constructive when given more freedom does not imply an overly optimistic belief in the perfectibility of human nature. It is, rather, belief that the inevitable errors and sins of the human condition are far better overcome by individuals working together in an environment of trust and freedom and mutual respect than by individuals working under a multitude of rules, regulations, and restraints imposed upon them by another group of imperfect individuals.”

“Error is to be pitied and pardoned: it is the weakness of human nature. But vice is a foul blemish, not pardonable in any character.”

Humans Character Human Nature Weakness Errors Vices Foul

Book:The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

Source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

“When you start off by telling those who disagree with you that they are not merely in error but in sin, how much of a dialogue do you expect?”

Sin Human Nature Errors Dialogue Disagree

Author:Thomas Sowell

“I could never have known so well how paltry men are, and how little they care for really high aims, if I had not tested them by my scientific researches. Thus I saw that most men only care for science so far as they get a living by it, and that they worship even error when it affords them a subsistence.”

Ifs Men Wells Littles Care Science Known Saws Human Nature Worship Research Aim Errors Tested Scientific Research Subsistence

Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives. One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest.”

May Government Spirit Choices Passion Interest Mankind Honest Human Nature Ambition Errors Worthy Motive Prevailing

Book:The Works of Alexander Hamilton

Source: The Works of Alexander Hamilton

“The only thing that one really knows about human nature is that it changes. Change is the one quality we can predicate of it. The systems that fail are those that rely on the permanency of human nature, and not on its growth and development. The error of Louis XIV was that he thought human nature would always be the same. The result of his error was the French Revolution. It was an admirable result.”

Knows Humans Growth Nature Results Quality Failing Human Nature Revolution Development Errors Rely Rebellious Admirable French Revolution

Book:The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde

Source: The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde

“Would there not be the greatest reason to apprehend, that error in the first sentence would be the parent of error in the second sentence? That the strong bias of one decision would be apt to overrule the influence of any new lights, which might be brought to vary the complexion of another decision? Those, who know any thing of human nature, will not hesitate to answer these questions in the affirmative.”

Source: The Origin of the Nation: Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Other Amendments, Federalist Papers & Common Sense: Creating America - Landmark Documents that Shaped a New Nation

“There are very few errors and false doctrines of which the beginning may not be traced up to unsound views about the corruption of human nature. Wrong views of the disease will always bring with them wrong views of the remedy. Wrong views of the corruption of human nature will always carry with them wrong views of the grand antidote and cure of that corruption.”

Humans May Views Human Nature Disease Errors Corruption Doctrine Cures Remedy Antidote

Author:J. C. Ryle

“It is human nature to want to believe in the wizardry of the magician--but also to turn against him and to scorn him the moment that he commits the slightest error that reveals his trickery. Those in the audience are embarrassed to have been so easily astonished, and they blame the performer for their gullibility.”

Want Believe Humans Has Beens Moments Turns Audience Human Nature Blame Errors Commit Performers Embarrassed Magician Scorn Trickery Gullibility Wizardry

Book:Odd Thomas: You Are Destined to Be Together Forever (Short Story)

Source: Odd Thomas: You Are Destined to Be Together Forever (Short Story)