Quotes about Philosophy

Philosophy's purpose is to illuminate the ways our soul has been infected by unsound beliefs, untrained tumultuous desires, and dubious life choices and preferences that are unworthy of us. Self-scrutiny applied with kindness is the main antidote.

Apropos of which, Diogenes says somewhere that one way to guarantee freedom is to be ready to die.

I hope death overtakes me when I'm occupied solely with the care of my character, in an effort to make it passionless, free, unrestricted and unrestrained.

So in the field of assent you cannot be hindered or obstructed. 'Evidently.

But what says Socrates?—One man finds pleasure in improving his land, another his horses. My pleasure lies in seeing that I myself grow better day by day.

impassivity and a good flow of life are not attained except through unerring desire and unfailing avoidance

What, then, is your own? The way you live your life.

Continually remind yourself that you are a mortal being, and someday will die.

Wisdom's seat is higher; she trains not the hands, but is mistress of our minds.

And then we'll be emulating Socrates,* once we're able to write hymns of praise in prison.

It is not the events but our viewpoint toward events that is the determining factor. We ought to be more concerned about removing wrong thoughts from the mind than removing tumors and abscesses from the body.

No, I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it — or do I have to die moaning and groaning too?