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In the matter of belief, we are all extreme conservatives.

William James

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

Feelings Self World
The God of many men is little more than their court of appeal against the damnatory judgment passed on their failures by the opinion of the world.
WILLIAM JAMES

Art Men Philosophy
A new opinion counts as true just in proportion as it gratifies the individual’s desire to assimilate the novel in his experience to his beliefs in stock
WILLIAM JAMES

Belief Desire Truth
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.
WILLIAM JAMES

Positive Wisdom Wise
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
Focus on increasing service. Becoming great where you are. Pile in the wood. The heat will follow.
WILLIAM JAMES

Becoming Great Focus Woods
No living person is sunk so low as not to be imitated by somebody.
WILLIAM JAMES

Failure Lows Person
All natural goods perish. Riches take wings; fame is a breath; love is a cheat; youth and health and pleasure vanish.
WILLIAM JAMES

Health Love Wings
Deepest principle of human nature is to be appreciated.
WILLIAM JAMES

Appreciated Human Nature Principles
Faith means belief in something concerning which doubt is theoretically possible.
WILLIAM JAMES

Believe Faith Philosophical
We are thinking beings, and we cannot exclude the intellect from participating in any of our functions.
WILLIAM JAMES

Function Intellect Thinking
A sense of humor is just common sense dancing.
WILLIAM JAMES

Common Dance Humor Sense
Every individual existence goes out in a lonely spasm of helpless agony.
WILLIAM JAMES

Agony Individual Lonely
Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or being.
WILLIAM JAMES

Based Inspirational Life Test
Truth lives, in fact, for the most part on a credit system
WILLIAM JAMES

Credit Facts Truth
The aim of a college education is to teach you to know a good man when you see one.
WILLIAM JAMES

Die Education Philosophical
Habit is thus the enormous fly-wheel of society, its most precious conservative agent. It alone is what keeps us all within the bounds of ordinance.
WILLIAM JAMES

Agents Ordinance Uprising Wheels
Most men have a good memory for facts connected with their own pursuits.
WILLIAM JAMES

Educational Memories Philosophy
Truth happens to an idea
WILLIAM JAMES

Happens Ideas Truth
Since you make evil or good by your own thoughts, it is your ruling of your thoughts which proves to be your principal concern.
WILLIAM JAMES

Evil Prove Ruling
Impulse without reason is enough, and reason without impulse is a poor makeshift.
WILLIAM JAMES

Enough Poor Reason
For morality life is a war, and the service of the highest is a sort of cosmic patriotism which also calls for volunteers.
WILLIAM JAMES

Political Volunteer War
With mere good intentions hell is proverbially paved.
WILLIAM JAMES

Good Hell Intention Intentions
Wisdom is learning what to overlook.
WILLIAM JAMES

Learning Philosophical Wisdom
Both thought and feeling are determinants of conduct, and the same conduct may be determined either by feeling or by thought.
WILLIAM JAMES

Determine Feelings May
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
Our faith is faith in someone else’s faith, and in the greatest matters this is most the case.
WILLIAM JAMES

Cases Matter Philosophical

In the matter of belief, we are all extreme conservatives.

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In the matter of belief, we are all extreme conservatives.

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