Quote

The simplest rudiment of mystical experience would seem to be that deepened sense of the significance of a maxim or formula which occasionally sweeps over one.

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
Simplest
Deepened
Significance
Sweeps
Seem
Maxim
Natural
Maxims
Experience
Formula
Sense
Mystical
Seems
Formulas
Would
Occasionally

More quotes by William James

Image
When happiness is actually in possession, the thought of evil can no more acquire the feeling of reality than the thought of good can gain reality when melancholy rules. To the man actively happy, from whatever cause, evil simply cannot then and there be believed in.
William James
Image
Mental fire is what won't burn real sticks mental water is what won't necessarily (though of course it may) put out even a mentalfire.
William James
Image
We can act as if there were a God feel as if we were free consider Nature as if she were full of special designs lay plans as if we were to be immortal and we find then that these words do make a genuine difference in our moral life.
William James
Image
When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.
William James
Image
I originally studied medicine in order to be a physiologist, but I drifted into psychology and philosophy from a sort of fatality. I never had any philosophic instruction, the first lecture on psychology I ever heard being the first I ever gave.
William James
Image
We hear in these days of scientific enlightenment a great deal of discussion about the efficacy of Prayer. Many reasons are given why we should not pray. Others give reasons why we should pray. Very little is said of the reason we do pray. The reason is simple: We pray because we cannot help praying.
William James
Image
But when all is said and done, the fact remains that some teachers have a naturally inspiring presence and can make their exercises interesting, whilst others simply cannot. And psychology and general pedagogy here confess their failure, and hand things over to the deeper spring of human personality to conduct the task.
William James
Image
In the matter of belief, we are all extreme conservatives.
William James
Image
The ideas gained by men before they are twenty-five are practically the only ideas they shall have in their lives.
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
What the whole community comes to believe in grasps the individual as in a vise.
William James
Image
The good we do today becomes the happiness of tomorrow.
William James
Image
We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, never to be undone.
William James
Image
It is only in the lonely emergencies of life that our creed is tested: then routine maxims fail, and we fall back on our gods.
William James
Image
Fear of life in one form or another is the great thing to exorcise.
William James
Image
All the qualities of a man acquire dignity when he knows that the service of the collectivity that owns him needs them. If proud of the collectivity, his own pride rises in proportion. No collectivity is like an army for nourishing such pride.
William James
Image
Our ideas must agree with realities, be such realities concrete or abstract
William James
Image
... no bell in us tolls to let us know for certain when truth is in our grasp.
William James
Image
Deepest principle of human nature is to be appreciated.
William James
Image
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
William James