Some others of mine:

The more a gift provides an immense richness, the less it can make itself visible in an object, or the less that the object rendering it visible corresponds to the gift in fact [...] Even more, to give oneseulf to another obviously does not coincide with the gift of some object. The only object that perhaps might prove this gift, because it makes it visible, is the ring worn on the finger: it indicates that another has given himself or herself to me by giving me this ring. But this ring does not attest to the gift made by another, because it is not costly enough either to pay for my own commitment (as if this golden ring were worth my life, my fidelity, my own gift) or to confirm materially what the other has given me in self-giving On the contrary, the ring attests to the gift I have become not by equaling it, but by giving the gift a symbolic support, without any parity with what it nonetheless shows. The gift hence does not coincide with the object of the gift. Moreover, one can suggest the following fundamental rule: the more a gift reveals itself to be precious, the less it is accomplished as an object, or what amounts to the same thing, the more the object is reduced to the abstract role of support, decoration, symbol — Jean Luc Marion

If one who lives in a Christian culture goes up to God’s house, the house of the true God, with a true conception of God, with knowledge of God and prays—but prays in a false spirit; and one who lives in a idolatrous land prays with the total passion of the infinite, although his eyes rest on the image of an idol; where is there most truth? The one prays in truth to God, although he worships an idol. The other prays in untruth to the true God and therefore really worships an idol — Soren Kierkegaard

Let others complain that the age is wicked; my complaint is that it is paltry; for it lacks passion. Men's thoughts are thin and flimsy like lace, they are themselves pitiable like the lacemakers. The thoughts of their hearts are too paltry to be sinful. For a worm it might be regarded as a sin to harbor such thoughts, but not for a being made in the image of God. Their lusts are dull and sluggish, their passions sleepy...This is the reason my soul always turns back to the Old Testament and to Shakespeare. I feel that those who speak there are at least human beings: they hate, they love, they murder their enemies, and curse their descendants throughout all generations, they sin — Soren Kierkegaard

Fire. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob - NOT of the philosophers and the scholars — Blaise Pascal

The heart has reasons, that reason knows not of. — Blaise Pascal

Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what it loves — Blaise Pascal

Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapour, a drop of water, suffices to kill him. But if the universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has over him; the universe knows nothing of this — Blaise Pascal

Even if we did not know that our mind is eternal, we would still regard as of the first importance morality, religion, and absolutely all the things we have shown to be related to tenacity and nobility [...] The usual conviction of the multitude seems to be different. For most people apparently believe that they are free to the extent that they are permitted to yield to their lust, and that they give up their right to the extent that they are bound to live according to the rule of the divine law. Morality, then, and religion, and absolutely everything related to strength of character, they believe to be burdens, which they hope to put down after death, when they also hope to receive a reward for their bondage, that is, for their morality and religion. They are induced to live according to the rule of the divine law (as far as their weakness and lack of character allows) not only by this hope, but also, and especially, by the fear that they may be punished horribly after death. If men did not have this hope and fear, but believed instead that minds die with the body, and that the wretched, exhausted with the burden of morality, cannot look forward to a life to come, they would return to their natural disposition, and would prefer to govern all their actions according to lust, and to obey fortune rather than themselves. These opinions seem no less absurd to me than if someone, because he does not believe he can nourish his body with good food to eternity, should prefer to fill himself with poisons and other deadly things, or because he sees that the mind is not eternal, or immortal, should prefer to be mindless, and to live without reason. These [common beliefs] are so absurd they are hardly worth mentioning [...] Blessedness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself; nor do we enjoy it because we restrain our lusts; on the contrary, because we enjoy it, we are able to restrain them — Benedict de Spinoza

Bertrand Russell (L)

“There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting.”

“The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatsoever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widely spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.”

“When considering marriage one should ask oneself this question; 'will I be able to talk with this person into old age?' Everything else is transitory, the most time is spent in conversation.”

"It seems to me a fundamental dishonesty, and a fundamental treachery to intellectual integrity, to hold a belief because you think it's useful and not because you think it's true.”

“To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.”

I like one of mine: "The universe is pointless - I'd just like to make that point."

“Compassion is the antitoxin of the soul: where there is compassion even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless.”
Eric Hoffer.

“Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.”
Eric Hoffer

Thanks for the Pascal quotes. It is a shame he died so young :C

Thanks for the Pascal quotes. It is a shame he died so young :C — lambda

You should get a copy of his Pensées and read them if you haven't already! It's full of gold! ;)

"If people did not sometimes do silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done."
Wittgenstein

I'm smart enough to know I'm stupid, but not stupid enough to think I'm smart. Without modesty, me.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

Marcel Proust

"A true philosopher never mentions other philosphers".

"What good does it do to adjust and integrate the self in a culture that is itself sick? What does it mean to be a well-adjusted Nazi? Is that mental health? Or is a maladjusted person in a Nazi society the only one who is sane?" -- Ken Wilber, A Brief History of Everything

"Like children, you are haunted with a fear that when the soul leaves the body, the wind may really blow her away and scatter her; especially if a man should happen to die in stormy weather and not when the sky is calm."

- Plato, Phaedo.


"Time; cannot be kept, stored or saved. But the less you spend, the more you will have."

- Me

"Most of the avoidable suffering in life springs from our attempts to escape the unavoidable suffering inherent in the fragmentary nature of our present existence. We expect immortal satisfactions from mortal conditions, and lasting and perfect happiness in the midst of universal change. To encourage this expectation, to persuade mankind that the ideal is realizable in this world, after a few preliminary changes in external conditions, is the distinguishing mark of all charlatans, whether in thought or action."

Hugh Kingsmill 1944

I'm not sure if this really constitutes a philosophical quote, but it's the phrase I find myself using most often and enjoying the most on this and similar websites:

"I know you are, but what am I?"

Now that I think about it, it's a really good response to Descartes.

“Our field of vision of the universe and the world in which we live, with all its breadth, can be as small as the dew of a much, much larger world ... Indeed, the universe is without beginning and without end.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani

“When we look at the starry sky at night and ask ourselves, where do we stand in this endless landscape, do we have the ability to leave a memory of ourselves in this endless space?”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani

“Remember that we are human beings and humanity is the most important thing that is expected of us.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“No purpose should set humanity on fire.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Be kind to be immortal.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Kind people bring happiness.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Kind people remember us, even when we have forgotten ourselves.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Fill the cup of life only with love and friendship.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Those who are far from the kind world inside them always make life difficult for themselves.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Be kind, so that you will never be alone.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Kindness is not about simplicity and ignorance, kind people believe in one of the most important norms of the universe and it is the result of action and reaction, it is simple to be kind to see kindness.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Life without freedom is shameful.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani


“Even death is not the end for a captive bird.”
―The Philosopher Hakim Orod Bozorg Khorasani

"The situation is hopeless. We must take the next step."
- Pablo Casals - cellist

Philosophers have a tendency — darthbarracuda

This is about as good as any I can recall at present.

"Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr. Epstein."
~Dick Rowe, 1962