Quote

The only distinct meaning of the word natural is stated, fixed, or settled since what is natural as much requires and presupposes an intelligent agent to render it so, i.e. to effect it continually or at stated times, as what is supernatural or miraculous does to effect it for once.

Joseph Butler

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Joseph Butler
Age: 60 †
Born: 1692
Born: May 18
Died: 1752
Died: June 16
Philosopher
Priest
Theologian
Wantage
Berkshire
A Gentleman in Gloucestershire
Doe
Intelligent
Settled
Much
Meaning
Miraculous
Effects
Agent
Since
Continually
Presupposes
Word
Agents
Stated
Times
Fixed
Render
Natural
Requires
Supernatural
Science
Effect
Distinct

More quotes by Joseph Butler

Image
The love of liberty that is not a real principle of dutiful behavior to authority is as hypocritical as the religion that is not productive of a good life.
Joseph Butler
Image
The tongue may be employed about, and made to serve all the purposes of vice, in tempting and deceiving, in perjury and injustice.
Joseph Butler
Image
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Joseph Butler
Image
Virtue, as such, naturally procures considerable advantages to the virtuous.
Joseph Butler
Image
Things and actions are what they are, and the consequences of them will be what they will be: why then should we desire to be deceived?
Joseph Butler
Image
Every one of our passions and affections hath its natural stint and bound, which may easily be exceeded whereas our enjoyments can possibly be but in a determinate measure and degree.
Joseph Butler
Image
It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered.
Joseph Butler
Image
The sum of the whole is plainly this: The nature of man considered in his single capacity, and with respect only to the present world, is adapted and leads him to attain the greatest happiness he can for himself in the present world.
Joseph Butler
Image
Love of our neighbour, then, has just the same respect to, is no more distant from, self-love, than hatred of our neighbour, or than love or hatred of anything else.
Joseph Butler
Image
Both our senses and our passions are a supply to the imperfection of our nature thus they show that we are such sort of creatures as to stand in need of those helps which higher orders of creatures do not.
Joseph Butler
Image
The first thought is often the best.
Joseph Butler
Image
Happiness does not consist in self-love.
Joseph Butler
Image
People might love themselves with the most entire and unbounded affection, and yet be extremely miserable.
Joseph Butler
Image
In all common ordinary cases, we see intuitively at first view what is out duty, what is the honest part. This is the ground of the observation, that the first thought is often the best. In these cases, doubt and deliberation is itself dishonesty as it was in Balaam upon the second message.
Joseph Butler
Image
Remember likewise there are persons who love fewer words, an inoffensive sort of people, and who deserve some regard, though of too still and composed tempers for you.
Joseph Butler
Image
Every man hath a general desire of his own happiness and likewise a variety of particular affections, passions, and appetites to particular external objects.
Joseph Butler
Image
That which is the foundation of all our hopes and of all our fears all our hopes and fears which are of any consideration I mean a Future Life.
Joseph Butler
Image
Every thing is what it is, and not another thing.
Joseph Butler
Image
The object of self-love is expressed in the term self and every appetite of sense, and every particular affection of the heart, are equally interested or disinterested, because the objects of them all are equally self or somewhat else.
Joseph Butler
Image
Happiness or satisfaction consists only in the enjoyment of those objects which are by nature suited to our several particular appetites, passions, and affections.
Joseph Butler