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The ultimate test of what a truth means is the conduct it dictates or inspires.

William James

True to her inveterate habit, rationalism reverts to ‘principles,’ and thinks that when an abstraction once is named, we own an oracular solution.
WILLIAM JAMES

Habit Principles Thinking
[T]here is very little difference between one person and another, but what little difference ther eis, is very important.
WILLIAM JAMES

Differences Important Personality
With mere good intentions hell is proverbially paved.
WILLIAM JAMES

Good Hell Intention Intentions
All religions begin with the cry Help.
WILLIAM JAMES

Cry Helping Religion
As long as there are postmen, life will have zest.
WILLIAM JAMES

Expectations Long Zest
We are all ready to be savage in some cause. The difference between a good man and a bad one is the choice of the cause.
WILLIAM JAMES

Choices Differences Men Savage
When once a decision is reached and execution is the order of the day, dismiss absolutely all responsibility and care about the outcome.
WILLIAM JAMES

Decision Order Responsibility
Genius… means little more than the faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way.
WILLIAM JAMES

Creativity Mean Science
No one sees further into a generalization than his own knowledge of detail extends.
WILLIAM JAMES

Details Generalization Knowledge
To some of us the thought of God is like a sort of quiet music playing in the background of the mind.
WILLIAM JAMES

Mind Philosophy Quiet
Religious awe is the same organic thrill which we feel in a forest at twilight, or in a mountain gorge.
WILLIAM JAMES

Mountain Religious Twilight
Impulse without reason is enough, and reason without impulse is a poor makeshift.
WILLIAM JAMES

Enough Poor Reason
You must bring out of each word its practical cash-value, set it at work within the stream of your experience.
WILLIAM JAMES

Cash Experience Stream
So our self-feeling in this world depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do.
WILLIAM JAMES

Feelings Self World
The impulse to take life strivingly is indestructible in the race.
WILLIAM JAMES

Free Race Vagueness Will
Pure experience’ is the name I gave to the immediate flux of life which furnishes the material to our later reflection with its conceptual categories.
WILLIAM JAMES

Flux Names Reflection

The ultimate test of what a truth means is the conduct it dictates or inspires.

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The ultimate test of what a truth means is the conduct it dictates or inspires.

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