Quote

Indeed, if a chief question does remain: how is the power to think possible? - The power to think right and left, before and without, with and above experience? then it does not take a deduction to prove the genealogical priority of language.

Johann Georg Hamann

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Johann Georg Hamann
Age: 57 †
Born: 1730
Born: August 27
Died: 1788
Died: June 21
Lutenist
Philosopher
Theologian
Writer
Königsberg i. Pr.
Johann G. Hamann
Doe
Remain
Genealogical
Without
Prove
Deduction
Take
Question
Deductions
Right
Possible
Priority
Think
Language
Chief
Thinking
Experience
Chiefs
Left
Priorities
Power
Indeed

More quotes by Johann Georg Hamann

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A writer who is in a hurry to be understood today or tomorrow runs the danger of being misunderstood the day after tomorrow.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Physics is nothing but the ABC's. Nature is an equation with an unknown, a Hebrew word which is written only with consonants to which reason has to add the dots.
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Our reason arises, at the very least, from this twofold lesson of sensuous revelations and human testimonies.
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When I rest my feet my mind also ceases to function.
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Few authors understand themselves, and a proper reader must not only understand his author but also be able to see beyond him.
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I look upon logical proofs the way a well-bred girl looks upon a love letter
Johann Georg Hamann
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The weakness of ourselves and of our reason makes us see flaws in beauties by making us consider everything piece by piece.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Thus the public use of reason and freedom is nothing but a dessert, a sumptuous dessert.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Poetry is the mother-tongue of the human race.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Being, belief and reason are pure relations, which cannot be dealt with absolutely, and are not things but pure scholastic concepts, signs for understanding, not for worshipping, aids to awaken our attention, not to fetter it.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Every phenomenon of nature was a word, - the sign, symbol and pledge of a new, mysterious, inexpressible but all the more intimate union, participation and community of divine energies and ideas.
Johann Georg Hamann
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The farther reason looks the greater is the haze in which it loses itself.
Johann Georg Hamann
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All human wisdom works and has worries and grief as reward.
Johann Georg Hamann
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What Tarquin the Proud said in his garden with the poppy blooms was understood by the son but not by the messenger.
Johann Georg Hamann
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If only I was as eloquent as Demosthenes, I would have to do no more than repeat a single word three times. Reason is language - Logos I gnaw on this marrowbone and will gnaw myself to death over it. It is still always dark over these depths for me: I am still always awaiting an apocalyptic angel with a key to this abyss.
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Not only the entire ability to think rests on language... but language is also the crux of the misunderstanding of reason with itself.
Johann Georg Hamann
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What good to me is the festive garment of freedom when I am in a slave's smock at home?
Johann Georg Hamann
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The philosophers have always given truth a bill of divorce, by separating what nature has joined together and vice versa.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Everything is vain and tortures the spirit instead of calming and satisfying it.
Johann Georg Hamann
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Lies, fables and romances must needs be probable, but not the truth and foundation of our faith.
Johann Georg Hamann