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Alfred North Whitehead Quotes - Page 4

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The point about zero is that we do not need to use it in the operation of daily life. No one goes out to buy zero fish.

The point about zero is that we do not need to use it in the operation of daily life. No one goes out to buy zero fish.

Alfred North Whitehead
Zero, Math, Needs
Alfred North Whitehead (1958). “An Introduction to Mathematics”, p.43, New York : Oxford University Press, 1958 [c1948]

The 'silly question' is the first intimation of some totally novel development.

Alfred North Whitehead
Silly, Creativity, Ideas
"Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead".

No Roman ever died in contemplation over a geometrical diagram.

Alfred North Whitehead
Math, Contemplation, Diagrams

From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of discovery.

Alfred North Whitehead
Music, Education, Children
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.2, Simon and Schuster

The real history does not get written, because it is not in people's brains but in their nerves and vitals.

Alfred North Whitehead
Real, People, History
Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price (2001). “Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead”, p.20, David R. Godine Publisher

Thus the negative perception is the triumph of consciousness.

Alfred North Whitehead
Perception, Triumph, Negative
Russell L. Kleinbach, Karl Marx, Alfred North Whitehead (1982). “Marx via process: Whitehead's potential contribution to Marxian social theory”

Ninety percent of our lives is governed by emotion. Our brains merely register and act upon what is telegraphed to them by our bodily experience. Intellect is to emotion as our clothes are to our bodies; we could not very well have civilized life without clothes, but we would be in a poor way if we had only clothes without bodies.

Alfred North Whitehead
Clothes, Brain, Would Be
"Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead" by Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price, Ch. 29, 1954.

The aim of science is to seek the simplest explanation of complex facts. We are apt to fall into the error of thinking that the facts are simple because simplicity is the goal of our quest. The guiding motto in the life of every natural philosopher should be ``Seek simplicity and distrust it.''

Alfred North Whitehead
Fall, Science, Simple
Alfred North Whitehead (1964). “The Concept of Nature: Tarner Lectures”, p.163, Cambridge University Press

I put forward as a general definition of civilization, that a civilized society is exhibiting the five qualities of Truth, Beauty, Adventure, Art, Peace.

Alfred North Whitehead
Beauty, Art, Peace
"Adventures of Ideas".

Learning preserves the errors of the past as well as its wisdom.

Alfred North Whitehead
Learning, Past, Errors
Alfred North Whitehead (2014). “Science and Philosophy”, p.57, Open Road Media

Life is complex in its expression, involving more than percipience, namely desire, emotion, will, and feeling.

Alfred North Whitehead
Expression, Feelings, Desire
Alfred North Whitehead (1925). “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Natural Knowledge”

The tragedy of the world is that those who are imaginative have but slight experience, and those who are experienced have feeble imaginations.

Alfred North Whitehead
Imagination, Tragedy, Experience
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.93, Simon and Schuster

You think the world is what it looks like in fine weather at noon day; I think it is what it seems like in the early morning when one first wakes from deep sleep.

Alfred North Whitehead
Morning, Sleep, Thinking

True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes, but the firm resolve of virtue and reason.

Alfred North Whitehead
Courage, Hero, Bravery

It is the business of future to be dangerous.... The major advances in civilization are processes that all but wreck the societies in which they occur.

Alfred North Whitehead
Future, Civilization, Progress

Every epoch has its character determined by the way its population reacts to the material events which they encounter.

Alfred North Whitehead
Character, Personality, Encounters
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Adventures of Ideas”, p.99, Simon and Schuster

The guiding motto in the life of every natural philosopher should be, seek simplicity and distrust it.

Alfred North Whitehead
Simplicity, Philosopher, Motto
Alfred North Whitehead (2015). “The Concept of Nature: Tarner Lectures”, p.104, Cambridge University Press

The motive of success is not enough.

Alfred North Whitehead
Success, Enough, Motive
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Adventures of Ideas”, p.98, Simon and Schuster

Fertilization of the soul is the reason for the necessity of art.

Alfred North Whitehead
Art, Soul, Reason
ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD (1925). “SCIENCE AND THE MODERN WORLD”

The only use of knowledge of the past is to equip us for the present.

Alfred North Whitehead
Past, Use It Or Lose It, Use Of Knowledge
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.3, Simon and Schuster

Ideas won't keep. Something must be done about them.

Alfred North Whitehead
Motivation, Life And Love, Creativity
Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price (2001). “Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead”, p.98, David R. Godine Publisher

Religion is the last refuge of human savagery.

Alfred North Whitehead
Religion, Atheism, Lasts
Alfred North Whitehead (2011). “Religion in the Making”, p.26, Cambridge University Press

What is morality in any given time or place? It is what the majority then and there happen to like and immorality is what they dislike.

Alfred North Whitehead
Time, Truth, Majority
Dialogues (1954) (entry for 30 Aug. 1941)

The absolute pacifist is a bad citizen; times come when force must be used to uphold right, justice and ideals.

Alfred North Whitehead
Justice, Citizens, Force
Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price (2001). “Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead”, p.93, David R. Godine Publisher

An enormous part of our mature experience cannot not be expressed in words.

Alfred North Whitehead
Experience, Mature Love, Mature

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