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In philosophy, as in politics, the longest distance between two points is a straight line.

Will Durant

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Will Durant
Age: 96 †
Born: 1885
Born: November 5
Died: 1981
Died: November 7
Historian
Philosopher
Writer
North Adams
Massachusetts
William James Will Durant
William James Durant
Politics
Two
Longest
Points
Straight
Distance
Line
Philosophy
Lines

More quotes by Will Durant

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Science without philosophy, facts without perspective and valuation, cannot save us from havoc and despair. Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom.
Will Durant
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History offers some consolation by reminding us that sin has flourished in every age.
Will Durant
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A civilization is born Stoic and dies Epicurean.
Will Durant
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Time sanctifies everything even the most arrant theft in the hands of the robber's grandchildren becomes sacred and inviolable property.
Will Durant
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There is no significant example in history, before our time, of a society successfully maintaining moral life without the aid of religion.
Will Durant
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The individual succumbs, but he does not die if he has left something to mankind.
Will Durant
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Moral codes adjust themselves to environmental conditions.
Will Durant
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Who will dare to write a history of human goodness?
Will Durant
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There have been only 268 of the past 3,421 years free of war.
Will Durant
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Rome remained great as long as she had enemies who forced her to unity, vision, and heroism. When she had overcome them all she flourished for a moment and then began to die.
Will Durant
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In its youth a people produce mythology and poetry in its decadence, philosophy and logic.
Will Durant
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So I should say that civilizations begin with religion and stoicism: they end with scepticism and unbelief, and the undisciplined pursuit of individual pleasure. A civilization is born stoic and dies epicurean.
Will Durant
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A cat has a reputation to protect. If it had a halo, it would be worn cocked to one side.
Will Durant
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Those who have suffered much become very bitter or very gentle.
Will Durant
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Every state begins in compulsion but the habits of obedience become the content of conscience, and soon every citizen thrills with loyalty to the flag. The citizen is right for however the state begins, it soon becomes an indispensable prop to order.
Will Durant
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[H]istory assures us that civilizations decay quite leisurely.
Will Durant
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War is one of the constants of history, and it has not diminished with civilization or democracy.
Will Durant
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The finger that turns the dial rules the air.
Will Durant
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Bankers know that history is inflationary and that money is the last thing a wise man will hoard
Will Durant
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Art lies in conceiving and designing, not in the actual execution' - this was left for lesser minds.
Will Durant