Apart from selfish reasons, such as fear of punishments, fear of blame, of dishonour, etc, there remains only two motives that can stop (or prevent, “empâecher”, Fr.) men from acting badly.
AFRIKAN SPIRThe natural sense of commiseration (or “sympathy”, – “commisération”, Fr.) for one’s fellow men – compassion, and the influence of education, by association of ideas (“par l’association d’idées”, Fr.) – habit.
More Afrikan Spir Quotes
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Short-sighted (à courte vue”, Fr.) interests, which, when all is said and done, are also prejudicial (or detrimental, or harmful) to those very same that pursue them?
AFRIKAN SPIR -
Outward, thanks to the knowledge of physical laws, man could subdue (or subjugate…) nature, but inwardly, he remained a slave to it.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
In ancient times, any man rising up above the common people tried to shape his life according to his principles; it is no longer like than now; it is (because) for the ancients.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The military predominace of Sparte. This example proves that man can everything on themselves when they want it (“peuvent tout sur eux-mêmes quand ils le veulent”, Fr.); therefore it would only be a question of making them will the good.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
So many forces and resources would become available if States, aware (or conscious) of their true (or real) mission, would want to get on (or agree) to abolish every politics aiming at (“visant à”, Fr.) expansion or hegemony.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
A good man (“un homme de bien”, Fr.) never wholly perishes, the best part of his being outlives (or survives) in eternity.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The only one thing which is really valuable, it is to do good.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The more his character, by rising above material contingencies, widen, become free and independent.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The principle of identity, which is the fundamental law of the thought; norms of logic springs from it, that govern the thought (or mind) in the field of science.”
AFRIKAN SPIR -
In which (or where) everyone is mainly (or mostly) trying to assert oneself in front of others (“devant les autres”, Fr.), to appear, and hoping to find in society (“mondaine”, Fr.) relationships some advantages for his interest and vanity (or vainglory or conceit”, Fr).
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The brute appears (or come forward, “apparait”, Fr.) and rule over (or dominate), stifling every (“toute”, Fr.) noble, generous impulse; it is then the ruin (or downfall or decline) of any humanity in man.
AFRIKAN SPIR -
Whether we had a (good) moral intuition more developed, we would be as much morally disgusted by the rapacity of those who try to benefit from, and monopolize (or secure or corner).
AFRIKAN SPIR -
What we take for vainglory, ambition, love of power and riches (or wealth), is often, indeed, a need to mask this emptiness, a need to let one’s hair down (or to live it up), to put oneself on a false scent or trail. (de se donner le change”, Fr.)
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Thus the moral consciousness is an innate and intimate revelation of the absolute, which goes beyond (or goes pass, or exceed) every empirical data (or given information).
AFRIKAN SPIR -
The distinction between right and wrong (“la distinction du bien et du mal”, Fr.), is nothing else than their unyielding (or implacable) opposition.
AFRIKAN SPIR