Plato’s famous “Education is the key to a successful life” has long inspired people in all walks of life. He was an Athenian philosopher who studied with Socrates and Aristotle. His broad interests and varied ideas have shaped philosophy over the centuries. It’s no wonder that he influenced so many people. Plato believed that one’s education determines their future. So if you want to learn more about his thoughts, consider reading his quotes.
Democritus
In the earliest Greek literature, the philosopher Democritus was a pre-Socratic thinker born around 460 BC in Abdera, Thrace. His contributions to philosophy are difficult to distinguish from those of Leucippus, but his speculation on the atoms of matter is particularly interesting, bearing a striking resemblance to nineteenth-century understandings of atomic structure. But his contributions are arguably more significant than his rivals’.
As a materialist, Democritus believed that humans emerged from the earth. Although his reports provide little detail, his philosophy explains the origin of the universe, as well as the causes of its structure. He claimed that “like to like” in nature is responsible for the orderly nature of the cosmos. The atoms of similar types tend to cluster together, based on their size and shape. The idea of necessity is at the heart of many ancient philosophers’ works.
Throughout his writings, Democritus focused on the notion of knowledge and perception. He held that sensations are caused by changes in the soul caused by atoms from other objects. The soul itself cannot change; only atoms from another object can affect it. For instance, a round atom produces a sweet taste, while a small atom causes a bitter one. Moreover, Democritus’s theories on colour and shape are the first to distinguish these two categories.
Epicurus
Epicurus’s views on desire and happiness are based on two basic beliefs. According to him, there are two types of pleasure: desired and unwanted. The first is a desire for inner peace, which he defines as a desire for reducing bodily pain. However, unwanted pleasures, such as alcohol, can also be painful. However, melancholy can make us value life more and help us learn to appreciate it. According to Epicurus, external circumstances play an insignificant role in our happiness.
As a man, you have to know the difference between natural and illusory desires. While natural desires are purely beneficial, illusory ones will only cause you pain. If you are a good neighbor, you will be able to live with the person you want. Even if you have to live in the same town as your neighbor, the happiness you get from a friend will outweigh the pain of their actions.
Justice is not a desirable virtue, but it is highly productive, and it provides the basis for choice. Similarly, justice is the spring of conduct. It only makes sense to perform actions that will lead to happiness. Happiness is the highest and final good, and happiness is the chief good of man. If you don’t want to live unhappy, you should not do the thing you’ve chosen. Just be nice. That way, you won’t hurt the people around you.
Epictetus
If you’re looking for great philosophy quotes, look no further than Epictetus. This Greek philosopher is credited with the development of practical philosophy, which focuses on bettering one’s life by focusing on what one can control, rather than what they can’t. The philosophy he developed influenced many branches of science, including cognitive psychology. Use the wisdom found in these quotes to improve your life in a variety of ways.
While Epictetus was born a slave, he became a freedman and taught Stoicism, which emphasizes the human experience and outside influences. Heraclitus and Zeno of Citium, both of whom developed Stoicism, started the philosophy at around 500 BCE, and Epictetus built upon it. In his philosophy, the concept of the logos (the eternal word) is an essential aspect of the world, and it’s the basis for many of the philosophies Epictetus describes.
According to Epictetus, appearances have four types: they are either what they appear to be, what they actually are, and what they’re not. The wise man aims for the latter, and he knows that everything has two handles. A wise man must know which handle is the right one. If he wants to have a successful life, he must learn the art of rightly aiming.
Camus
Albert Camus is a French philosopher and writer. Known for his work on political philosophy, he was a prominent supporter of the French Resistance during World War II. During his military service, he met Jean-Paul Sartre, and the two collaborated on the Combat journal. In the 1950s, the two fell out over Sartre’s support of Stalin’s communist propaganda. In his philosophy, he moved from the absurd to the “rebellion,” a moral “revolt” in contrast to the historical and politico-economic revolution. This was a controversial idea that led to a certain level of antagonism among Marxist critics and near-Marxist theorists.
Albert Camus was first and foremost a writer. Though he embraced various labels throughout his career, he never felt comfortable embracing the label of philosopher. The term implies rigorous academic training, logical consistency, and coherent doctrine. Camus’s work was a mix of philosophy and social criticism. These three genres of his work influenced his works immensely. Camus philosophy quotes touch on these topics and more. So, if you are looking for a philosophical quote to make your life better, take a look at these classics.
One of Camus’ most famous philosophy quotes is “The Myth of Sisyphus”. This semi-fiction novel details the outbreak of an epidemic in Algiers. The narrator of the story explains the absurdity of trying to understand the meaning of time. “Wars come and go without reason, but there are people who vindicate the world by their presence, even if they don’t have the knowledge to understand it.”
Nagarjuna
The first Nagarjuna philosophy quote cites the famous Indian philosopher as stating that a cause and an effect are inseparably linked. Hence, the presence of a cause requires the existence of its effect. This assertion is consistent with the second one, and reveals the underlying logic of causality. A cause cannot exist without the effect it brings about, and vice versa. If we are to understand the causes of events, we must first understand how these relationships function.
Another of Nagarjuna’s philosophy quotes reveals his belief in the possibility of truth. It is impossible to know if an object is truly real without the benefit of evidence, so we should not rely on reasoning based on speculation or argumentation. As Nagarjuna teaches, the existence of reality is based on the principle that everything exists. This principle explains why we cannot create reality from nothing. The second philosophy quote reflects the importance of understanding and identifying facts.
The third Nagarjuna philosophy quote reveals how objects have the potential to cause things to change, and that causes can’t be fundamentally distinct from their effects. Therefore, an object’s causal efficacy must be grounded in its material basis, and can’t be changed unless it is subject to the influence of a cause. In this way, the “four errors” of classical Buddhist thought can be understood and interpreted as a way to understand the causal relationships between objects and their effects.
Nietzsche
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a great deal on morality. Nietzsche argues that the self is only an arena where our drives battle. Our actions are the results of that struggle. In other words, we are what we think we are. If we are not aware of our drives, then we are no better off than we would otherwise be. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about them. Nietzsche was an esoteric moralist. He wanted to reach a specific group of people and reshape their ideas of morality. He didn’t care about the larger world, but rather the smaller group of people who he believed were more susceptible to his ideas.
Nietzsche believed that all things were connected and the only way to gain power is to use it. This was the idea behind his concept of the “will to power”. He believed that human beings could rise above their limitations and become better humans as a result. He named this person the “superman.” This superman would be stronger than normal humans and free from the shackles of others’ ideas of what is right and wrong.
As Nietzsche points out, “we are all created equal, but too often we fail to act in the same way.” This lack of equality is a problem that plagues the modern world. It is no surprise that Nietzsche would point out the obscene practices of those who practice MPS. Nietzsche’s criticisms of MPS values and the modern man have influenced many people. These are great philosophy quotes for those seeking to make their lives a better place.