Quote

This notion [skepticism] is more clearly understood by asking What do I know?

Michel de Montaigne

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Michel de Montaigne
Age: 59 †
Born: 1533
Born: February 28
Died: 1592
Died: September 13
Autobiographer
Essayist
French Moralist
Jurist
Philosopher
Poet Lawyer
Politician
Translator
Writer
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
Miquèu Eiquèm de Montanha
Miqueu Eiquem de Montanha
Understood
Understanding
Skepticism
Clearly
Notion
Asking

More quotes by Michel de Montaigne

Image
There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
When Socrates, after being relieved of his irons, felt the relish of the itching that their weight had caused in his legs, he rejoiced to consider the close alliance between pain and pleasure.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
There is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to trees and plants.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Off I go, rummaging about in books for sayings which please me.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Aesop, that great man, saw his master making water as he walked. What! he said, Must we void ourselves as we run? Use our timeas best we may, yet a great part of it will still be idly and ill spent.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and obedience, implicity believe, and abide by their belief.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, inquiry the progress, ignorance the end.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
It is not necessity but abundance which produces greed.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
My trade and art is to live.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
How many quarrels, and how important, has the doubt as to the meaning of this syllable Hoc produced for the world!
Michel de Montaigne
Image
I conceive that pleasures are to be avoided if greater pains be the consequence, and pains to be coveted that will terminate in greater pleasures.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
The good, supreme, divine poetry is above the rules and reason. Whoever discerns its beauty with a firm, sedate gaze does not see it, any more than he sees the splendor of a lightning flash. It does not persuade our judgement, it ravishes and overwhelms it.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
The world is but a perpetual see-saw.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
The daughter-in-law of Pythagoras said that a woman who goes to bed with a man ought to lay aside her modesty with her skirt, and put it on again with her petticoat
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Men are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not the things themselves.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Men of simple understanding, little inquisitive and little instructed, make good Christians.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
There is little less trouble in governing a private family than a whole kingdom.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Saying is one thing and doing is another
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Make use of life while you have it. Whether you have lived enough depends upon yourself, not on the number of your years.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.
Michel de Montaigne