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We with our lives are like islands in the sea, or like trees in the forest… But the trees also commingle their roots in the darkness underground.

William James

Truth is something that happens to an idea.
WILLIAM JAMES

Happen Ideas Truth
At bottom, the whole concern of religion is with the manner of our acceptance of the universe.
WILLIAM JAMES

Acceptance Wisdom Wise
The great thing, then, in all education, is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy.
WILLIAM JAMES

Allies Education Enemy
I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.
WILLIAM JAMES

Happiness Music Philosophical
We hear the words we have spoken, feel our own blow as we give it, or read in the bystander’s eyes the success or failure of our conduct.
WILLIAM JAMES

Bystanders Eye Teaching
Most men have a good memory for facts connected with their own pursuits.
WILLIAM JAMES

Educational Memories Philosophy
The ‘I think’ which Kant said must be able to accompany all my objects, is the ‘I breathe’ which actually does accompany them.
WILLIAM JAMES

Able Accompanying Thinking
Democracy is still upon its trial. The civic genius of our people is its only bulwark.
WILLIAM JAMES

Democracy Genius People
Asceticism may be a mere expression of organic hardihood, disgusted with too much ease.
WILLIAM JAMES

Asceticism Ease Expression
We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be.
WILLIAM JAMES

Opposites Statement Truth
Once you accept an idea, it’s an idea whose time has come.
WILLIAM JAMES

Accepting Daring Ideas
An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible.
WILLIAM JAMES

Ethics Philosophical Quality
The deepest longing in the human breast is the desire for appreciation.
WILLIAM JAMES

Appreciation Creativity Desire
All natural happiness thus seems infected with a contradiction. The breath of the sepulchre surrounds it.
WILLIAM JAMES

Contradiction Happiness Natural
To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life.
WILLIAM JAMES

Art Life Positive
The instant field of the present is at all times what I call the ‘pure’ experience. It is only virtually or potentially either object or subject as yet.
WILLIAM JAMES

All Fields Instant Time

We with our lives are like islands in the sea, or like trees in the forest… But the trees also commingle their roots in the darkness underground.

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We with our lives are like islands in the sea, or like trees in the forest… But the trees also commingle their roots in the darkness underground.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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