Quote

I believe there is no source of deception in the investigation of nature which can compare with a fixed belief that certain kinds of phenomena are IMPOSSIBLE.

William James

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

William James
Age: 68 †
Born: 1842
Born: January 11
Died: 1910
Died: August 26
Philosopher
Physician
Psychologist
University Teacher
W. James
Religion
Investigation
Science
Deception
Nature
Compare
Certain
Fixed
Kind
Kinds
Believe
Source
Impossible
Phenomena
Belief
Skepticism

More quotes by William James

Image
I am only a philosopher, and there is only one thing that a philosopher can be relied on to do, and that is, to contradict other philosophers.
William James
Image
The aim of a college education is to teach you to know a good man when you see one.
William James
Image
Tension is a habit. Relaxing is a habit. Bad habits can be broken, good habits formed.
William James
Image
Individuality is founded in feeling
William James
Image
Act in earnest and you will become earnest in all you do.
William James
Image
[Pragmatism's] only test of probable truth is what works best in the way of leading us, what fits every part of life best and combines with the collectivity of experience's demands, nothing being omitted.
William James
Image
... no bell in us tolls to let us know for certain when truth is in our grasp.
William James
Image
We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be.
William James
Image
The desire to gain wealth and the fear to lose it are our chief breeders of cowardice and propagators of corruption.
William James
Image
Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and says no drunkenness expands, unites, and says yes. Not through mere perversity do men run after it.
William James
Image
No more fiendish punishment could be devised, were such a thing physically possible, than that one should be turned loose in society and remain absolutely unnoticed.
William James
Image
Habit is thus the enormous fly-wheel of society, its most precious conservative agent. It alone is what keeps us all within the bounds of ordinance.
William James
Image
Pessimism leads to weakness. Optimism leads to power.
William James
Image
The exercise of voluntary attention in the schoolroom must therefore be counted one of the most important points of training that take place there and the first-rate teacher, by the keenness of the remoter interests which he is able to awaken, will provide abundant opportunities for its occurrence.
William James
Image
Cramming seeks to stamp things in by intense application immediately before the ordeal. But a thing thus learned can form but few associations.
William James
Image
You may not get everything you dream about, but you will never get anything you don't dream about.
William James
Image
Why may we not be in the universe, as our dogs and cats are in our drawingrooms and libraries?
William James
Image
All natural goods perish. Riches take wings fame is a breath love is a cheat youth and health and pleasure vanish.
William James
Image
The history of philosophy is to a great extent that of a certain clash of human temperaments.
William James
Image
Impulse without reason is enough, and reason without impulse is a poor makeshift.
William James