“That man is formed for social life is an observation which, upon our first inquiry, presents itself immediately to our view, and our reason approves that wise and generous principle which actuated the first founders of civil government, an institution which hat its origin in the weakness of individuals, and hath for its end the strength and security of all; and so long as the means of effecting this important end are thoroughly known and religiously attended to government is one of the richest blessings to mankind, and ought to be held in the highest veneration” MenFirstsMeanLongImportantEndsReasonGovernmentLife IsIndividualSocialViewsKnownPrinciplesWiseMankindSecurityOughtBlessingHighestWeaknessInstitutionsObservationGenerousHatsPatrioticFoundersInquirySocial LifeVeneration Author:Joseph Warren
“But when reflexion begins to play upon these objects... like some trick of magic each object is loosed into a group of impressions - colour, odour, texture... And if we continue to dwell in thought on this world... the whole scope of observation is dwarfed into the narrow chamber of the individual mind.” IfsWorldMindPlayWholeIndividualMagicGroupsObjectsThis WorldTricksImpressionObservationColourScopeChamberTextureImpressionism Author:Walter Pater
“Our mind, by virtue of a certain finite, limited capability, is by no means capable of putting a question to Nature that permits a continuous series of answers. The observations, the individual results of measurements, are the answers of Nature to our discontinuous questioning.” MindMeanCertainIndividualAnswersResultsVirtueCapableSeriesObservationPermitCapabilityQuestioningFiniteMeasurement Author:Erwin Schrodinger
“It is a commonplace observation that liberals believe in the perfectibility of man while conservatives believe in the endurance of original sin. Superficially, that would suggest that conservatives take a more understanding and indulgent view of individual lapses, while liberals take a more harshly judgmental one. In fact, we know, quite the opposite is the case.” KnowsMenBelieveFactsIndividualUnderstandingSinViewsCasesOppositesOriginalsObservationEnduranceCommonplaceJudgmentalOriginal SinLapses Book:In Defense of Elitism Source: In Defense of Elitism
“Whatever their limitations, Freud and Marx developed complex and subtle theories of human nature grounded in their observation of individual and social behavior. The crackpot rationalism of free-market economics merely relies on an abstract model of how people "must" behave.” PeopleHumansIndividualSocialHuman NatureTheoryBehaviorModelsEconomicsComplexesObservationLimitationBehaveRelyAbstractSubtleGroundedFree MarketRationalismSocial BehaviorCrackpots Author:Ellen Willis
“The assumption that individuals act objectively in accordance with purely mathematical dictates to maximize their gain or utility cannot be sustained by empirical observation.” IndividualGainsObservationMathematicalAssumptionUtility Author:Richard Arnold Epstein
“I do not despise genius-indeed, I wish I had a basketful of it. But yet, after a great deal of experience and observation, I have become convinced that industry is a better horse to ride than genius. It may never carry any man as far as genius has carried individuals, but industry-patient, steady, intelligent industry-will carry thousands into comfort, and even celebrity; and this it does with absolute certainty.” MenMayDoeIndividualWishDealsIndustryGeniusComfortHorseAbsolutesIntelligentPatientConvincedObservationCertaintySteadyDespiseAbsolute Certainty Author:Walter Lippmann