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Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.

Denis Diderot

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Denis Diderot
Age: 70 †
Born: 1713
Born: October 5
Died: 1784
Died: July 31
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Lumières
Diderot
Literature
Usurpation
Lasts
Prevails
Force
Commands
Power
Acquired
Long
Obey
Denial
Command
Violence

More quotes by Denis Diderot

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Only the bad man is alone.
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Ignorance is less remote from the truth than prejudice.
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The general interest of the masses might take the place of the insight of genius if it were allowed freedom of action.
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The Christian religion teaches us to imitate a God that is cruel, insidious, jealous, and implacable in his wrath.
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There is only one virtue, justice only one duty, to be happy only one corollary, not to overvalue life and not to fear death.
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I feel, I think, I judge therefore, a part of organized matter like me is capable of feeling, thinking, and judging.
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When one compares the talents one has with those of a Leibniz , one is tempted to throw away one's books and go die quietly in the dark of some forgotten corner.
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All things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone's feelings.
Denis Diderot
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Do you see this egg? With this you can topple every theological theory, every church or temple in the world.
Denis Diderot
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Time, matter, space - all, it may be, are no more than a point.
Denis Diderot
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No man has received from nature the right to give orders to others. Freedom is a gift from heaven, and every individual of the same species has the right to enjoy it as soon as he is in enjoyment of his reason.
Denis Diderot
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Scepticism is the first step towards truth.
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We swallow with one gulp the lie that flatters us, and drink drop by drop the truth which is bitter to us.
Denis Diderot
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Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion and not when someone else tells me to.
Denis Diderot
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No man has received from nature the right to command his fellow human beings.
Denis Diderot
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There are cats and cats.
Denis Diderot
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What is a monster? A being whose survival is incompatible with the existing order.
Denis Diderot
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If there were a reason for preferring the Christian religion to natural religion, it would be because the former offers us, on the nature of God and man, enlightenment that the latter lacks. Now, this is not at all the case for Christianity, instead of clarifying, gives rise to an infinite multitude of obscurities and difficulties.
Denis Diderot
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Are we not madder than those first inhabitants of the plain of Sennar? We know that the distance separating the earth from the sky is infinite, and yet we do not stop building our tower.
Denis Diderot
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If exclusive privileges were not granted, and if the financial system would not tend to concentrate wealth, there would be few great fortunes and no quick wealth. When the means of growing rich is divided between a greater number of citizens, wealth will also be more evenly distributed extreme poverty and extreme wealth would be also rare.
Denis Diderot