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The ultimate test of what a truth means is the conduct it dictates or inspires.

William James

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William James
Age: 68 †
Born: 1842
Born: January 11
Died: 1910
Died: August 26
Philosopher
Physician
Psychologist
University Teacher
W. James
Inspire
Ultimate
Means
Truth
Dictates
Mean
Inspires
Conduct
Test
Tests

More quotes by William James

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Philosophy is at once the most sublime and the most trivial of human pursuits. It works in the minutest crannies and it opens outthe widest vistas. It 'bakes no bread', as has been said, but it can inspire our souls with courage.
William James
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Truth in our ideas means their power to work.
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Life shall be built in doing and suffering and creating.
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With no attempt there can be no failure with no failure no humiliation.
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It is very important that teachers should realize the importance of habit.
William James
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Lay plans as if we were to be immortal.
William James
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Serious development of the personality begins at the closet door.
William James
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To some of us the thought of God is like a sort of quiet music playing in the background of the mind.
William James
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A good hypothesis in science must have other properties than those of the phenomenon it is immediately invoked to explain, otherwise it is not prolific enough.
William James
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... no bell in us tolls to let us know for certain when truth is in our grasp.
William James
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Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.
William James
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When once a decision is reached and execution is the order of the day, dismiss absolutely all responsibility and care about the outcome.
William James
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Instinct leads, logic does but follow.
William James
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All the daily routine of life, our dressing and undressing, the coming and going from our work or carrying through of its various operations, is utterly without mental reference to pleasure and pain, except under rarely realized conditions.
William James
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True is the name for whatever idea starts the verification process, useful is the name for its completed function in experience
William James
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The worst thing that can happen to a good teacher is to get a bad conscience about her profession because she feels herself hopeless as a psychologist.
William James
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Anything you may hold firmly in your imagination can be yours.
William James
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The sway of alcohol over mankind is unquestionably due to its power to stimulate the mystical faculties of human nature, usually crushed to earth by the cold facts and dry criticisms of the sober hour.
William James
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All natural goods perish. Riches take wings fame is a breath love is a cheat youth and health and pleasure vanish.
William James
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Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.
William James