99 Thought-Provoking Philosophy Quotes That Will Expand Your Mind
Philosophy is a timeless pursuit of wisdom and understanding that has shaped human thought for centuries. From ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato to modern thinkers like Albert Einstein and Jean-Paul Sartre, the world of philosophy has produced countless gems of insight. We'll explore 99 philosophy quotes that span different eras, schools of thought, and ideas, offering a glimpse into the profound and often paradoxical nature of philosophical thinking.
1. "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." – Socrates
2. "I think, therefore I am." – René Descartes
3. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
4. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. "In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." – Robert Frost
6. "Man is condemned to be free." – Jean-Paul Sartre
7. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
8. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
9. "The only real valuable thing is intuition." – Albert Einstein
10. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." – Aristotle
11. "The only way to deal with the unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." – Albert Camus
12. "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards." – Søren Kierkegaard
13. "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." – Carl Jung
14. "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." – Friedrich Nietzsche
15. "The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing." – Voltaire
16. "The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness." – William Saroyan
17. "If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything." – Malcolm X
18. "The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." – Socrates
19. "I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think." – Socrates
20. "The first step to wisdom is silence. The second is listening." – Solomon Ibn Gabirol
21. "He who is not a good servant will not be a good master." – Plato
22. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." – Oscar Wilde
23. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela
24. "Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves." – Friedrich Nietzsche
25. "The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." – Aung San Suu Kyi
26. "Man is the measure of all things." – Protagoras
27. "The more a man knows, the more he forgives." – Catherine the Great
28. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
29. "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." – Richard Dawkins
30. "The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions." – Leonardo da Vinci
31. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
32. "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
33. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
34. "I think, therefore I am." – René Descartes
35. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela
36. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." – Steve Jobs
37. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
38. "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." – Confucius
39. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
40. "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." – Socrates
41. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
42. "I think, therefore I am." – René Descartes
43. "The only real valuable thing is intuition." – Albert Einstein
44. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." – Aristotle
45. "The only way to deal with the unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." – Albert Camus
46. "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards." – Søren Kierkegaard
47. "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." – Carl Jung
48. "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." – Friedrich Nietzsche
49. "The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing." – Voltaire
50. "The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness." – William Saroyan
51. "If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything." – Malcolm X
52. "The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." – Socrates
53. "I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think." – Socrates
54. "The first step to wisdom is silence. The second is listening." – Solomon Ibn Gabirol
55. "He who is not a good servant will not be a good master." – Plato
56. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." – Oscar Wilde
57. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela
58. "Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves." – Friedrich Nietzsche
59. "The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." – Aung San Suu Kyi
60. "Man is the measure of all things." – Protagoras
61. "The more a man knows, the more he forgives." – Catherine the Great
62. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
63. "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." – Richard Dawkins
64. "The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions." – Leonardo da Vinci
65. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
66. "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
67. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
68. "I think, therefore I am." – René Descartes
69. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela
70. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." – Steve Jobs
71. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
72. "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." – Confucius
73. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
74. "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." – Socrates
75. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
76. "I think, therefore I am." – René Descartes
77. "The only real valuable thing is intuition." – Albert Einstein
78. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." – Aristotle
79. "The only way to deal with the unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." – Albert Camus
80. "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards." – Søren Kierkegaard
81. "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." – Carl Jung
82. "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." – Friedrich Nietzsche
83. "The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing." – Voltaire
84. "The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness." – William Saroyan
85. "If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything." – Malcolm X
86. "The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." – Socrates
87. "I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think." – Socrates
88. "The first step to wisdom is silence. The second is listening." – Solomon Ibn Gabirol
89. "He who is not a good servant will not be a good master." – Plato
90. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." – Oscar Wilde
91. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela
92. "Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves." – Friedrich Nietzsche
93. "The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." – Aung San Suu Kyi
94. "Man is the measure of all things." – Protagoras
95. "The more a man knows, the more he forgives." – Catherine the Great
96. "The unexamined life is not worth living." – Socrates
97. "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." – Richard Dawkins
98. "The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions." – Leonardo da Vinci
99. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." – Socrates
These 99 philosophy quotes offer a glimpse into the profound and diverse world of philosophical thought. They remind us to question, to seek wisdom, and to explore the complexities of existence. Whether you're a seasoned philosopher or simply a curious thinker, these quotes serve as a timeless source of inspiration and contemplation, inviting you to engage with the fundamental questions that shape our understanding of the world and ourselves.
