Quote

Something of great importance now past is inferior to something of little importance now present, in that the latter is a reality, and related to the former as something to nothing.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Arthur Schopenhauer
Age: 72 †
Born: 1788
Born: February 22
Died: 1860
Died: September 21
Musicologist
Philosopher
Translator
University Teacher
Writer
Danzig
Little
Latter
Nothing
Related
Great
Former
Something
Importance
Present
Reality
Past
Inferior
Littles
Inferiors

More quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer

Image
The fruits of Christianity were religious wars, butcheries, crusades, inquisitions, extermination of the natives of America, and the introduction of African slaves in their place.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Life is a business that does not cover the costs.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
The law of simplicity and naïveté applies to all fine art, for it is compatible with what is most sublime.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
A writer should never be brief at the expense of being clear.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Our moral virtues benefit mainly other people intellectual virtues, on the other hand, benefit primarily ourselves therefore the former make us universally popular, the latter unpopular.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
It often happens that we blurt out things that may in some kind of way be harmful to us, but we are silent about things that may make us look ridiculous because in this case effect follows very quickly on cause.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
A great affliction of all Philistines is that idealities afford them no entertainment, but to escape from boredom they are always in need of realities.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Ignorance is degrading only when found in company with great riches.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Our first ideas of life are generally taken from fiction rather than fact.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
I have described religion as the metaphysics of the people.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Boredom is just the reverse side of fascination.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
To truth only a brief celebration of victory is allowed between the two long periods during which it is condemned as paradoxical, or disparaged as trivial.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
The brain may be regarded as a kind of parasite of the organism, a pensioner, as it were, who dwells with the body.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
there are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion and what remains but to take it ready-made from others, instead of forming opinions for himself?
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
To call the world God is not to explain it it is only to enrich our language with a superfluous synonym.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Opinion is like a pendulum and obeys the same law. If it goes past the centre of gravity on one side, it must go a like distance on the other and it is only after a certain time that it finds the true point at which it can remain at rest.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
You must treat a work of art like a great man: stand before it and wait patiently till it deigns to speak.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Indeed, intolerance is essential only to monotheism an only God is by nature a jealous God who will not allow another to live. On the other hand, polytheistic gods are naturally tolerant, they live and let live.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
Just as the largest library, badly arranged, is not so useful as a very moderate one that is well arranged, so the greatest amount of knowledge, if not elaborated by our own thoughts, is worth much less than a far smaller volume that has been abundantly and repeatedly thought over.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Image
If God made this world, then i would not want to be the God. It is full of misery and distress that it breaks my heart.
Arthur Schopenhauer