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POSITIVISM- A philosophy that denies our knowledge of the Real and affirms our ignorance of the Apparent. Its longest exponent is Comte, its broadest Mill and its thickest Spencer.

Ambrose Bierce

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Ambrose Bierce
Born: 1842
Born: June 24
Aphorist
Journalist
Poet
Science Fiction Writer
Writer
Meigs County
Ohio
Dod Grile
William Herman
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce
Ambrose Bierce
Longest
Positivism
Apparent
Exponents
Deny
Spencer
Ignorance
Broadest
Philosophy
Affirms
Knowledge
Mill
Real
Denies
Exponent
Mills
Thickest

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PHILISTINE, n. One whose mind is the creature of its environment, following the fashion in thought, feeling and sentiment. He is sometimes learned, frequently prosperous, commonly clean and always solemn.
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CUNNING, n. The faculty that distinguishes a weak animal or person from a strong one. It brings its possessor much mental satisfaction and great material adversity. An Italian proverb says: The furrier gets the skins of more foxes than asses.
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Conversation, n.: A vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener.
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LANGUAGE, n. The music with which we charm the serpents guarding another's treasure.
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predilection, n. The preparatory stage of disillusion.
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PHYSIOGNOMY, n. The art of determining the character of another by the resemblances and differences between his face and our own, which is the standard of excellence.
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There would be far fewer accidents if we could only teach telephone poles to be more careful.
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Bacchus, n.: A convenient deity invented by the ancients as an excuse for getting drunk.
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Dictionary: a malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic
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PIG, n. An animal (Porcus omnivorus) closely allied to the human race by the splendor and vivacity of its appetite, which, however, is inferior in scope, for it sticks at pig.
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Battle, n., A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would not yield to the tongue.
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Adolescence: A stage between infancy and adultery.
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MUMMY, n. - an ancient Egyptian handy, too, in museums in gratifying the vulgar curiosity that serves to distinguish man from the lower animals.
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STORY, n. A narrative, commonly untrue.
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EMOTION, n. A prostrating disease caused by a determination of the heart to the head. It is sometimes accompanied by a copious discharge of hydrated chloride of sodium from the eyes.
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Along the road of life are many pleasure resorts, but think not that by tarrying in them you will take more days to the journey. The day of your arrival is already recorded.
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ENOUGH, pro. All there is in the world if you like it.
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PHRENOLOGY, n. The science of picking the pocket through the scalp. It consists in locating and exploiting the organ that one is a dupe with.
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I believe we shall come to care about people less and less. The more people one knows the easier it becomes to replace them. It's one of the curses of London.
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BEGGAR, n. One who has relied on the assistance of his friends.
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