Will Durant
Will Durant
William James "Will" Durantwas an American writer, historian, and philosopher. He is best known for The Story of Civilization, 11 volumes written in collaboration with his wife, Ariel Durant, and published between 1935 and 1975. He was earlier noted for The Story of Philosophy, described as "a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize philosophy"...
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth5 November 1885
Will Durant quotes about
infinity philosopher now-and-then
It is good a philosopher should remind himself, now and then, that he is a particle pontificating on infinity.
civilization lasts analysis
In the last analysis civilization is based upon the food supply.
dishonest ill integrity others praising speak
To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves.
civilization order liberty
Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty and dies with chaos.
activity civilization cultural freedom order promoting
Civilization is the order and freedom promoting cultural activity
banks build civilization filled happened historians ignore people pessimists poetry raise shouting sing stream whittle
Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with from people , stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is the story of what happened on the banks. Historians are pessimists because they ignore the banks for the river.
banks build civilization filled happened historians ignore people pessimists poetry raise shouting sing stream whittle
Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with from people , stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is the story of what happened on the banks. Historians are pessimists because they ignore the banks for the river.
answer belief creative god history mean nature negative reluctant support supreme vitality
Does history support a belief in God? If by God we mean not the creative vitality of nature but a supreme being intelligent and benevolent, the answer must be a reluctant negative
adequate against flame hasty marriage mutual
I am not against hasty marriages, where a mutual flame is fanned by an adequate income.
art begins ends philosophy science
Every science begins as philosophy and ends as art
darkness sun reason
I feel for all faiths the warm sympathy of one who has come to learn that even the trust in reason is a precarious faith, and that we are all fragments of darkness groping for the sun. I know no more about the ultimates than the simplest urchin in the streets.
acceptance assumption snares
The great snare of thought is uncritical acceptance of irrational assumptions.
men europe america
The greatest question of our time is not communism vs. individualism, not Europe vs. America, not even the East vs. the West; it is whether men can bear to live without God.
education men woe
Woe to him who teaches men faster than they can learn.