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To know one thing thoroughly would be to know the universe.

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
Would
Thoroughly
Universe
Thing

More quotes by William James

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Asceticism may be a mere expression of organic hardihood, disgusted with too much ease.
William James
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We must be careful not to confuse data with the abstractions we use to analyse them.
William James
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It is only the fundamental conceptions of psychology which are of real value to a teacher.
William James
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There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.
William James
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Whenever two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man as the other person sees him, and each man as he really is.
William James
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Religion, whatever it is, is a man's total reaction upon life.
William James
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To neglect the wise sayings of great thinkers is to deny ourselves the truest education.
William James
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The discovery of the power of our thoughts will prove to be the most important discovery of our time
William James
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If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system.
William James
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Our beliefs are really rules for action.
William James
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I have often thought the best way to define a man's character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it comes upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: This is the real me!.
William James
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The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal.
William James
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Spiritual energy flows in and produces effects, psychological or material, within the phenomenal world.
William James
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The unrest which keeps the never stopping clock of metaphysics going is the thought that the nonexistence of this world is just as possible as its existence.
William James
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It is wrong always, everywhere, and for everyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.
William James
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Ninety-nine hundredths or, possibly, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousandths of our activity is purely automatic and habitual, from our rising in the morning to our lying down each night.
William James
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The ideas gained by men before they are twenty-five are practically the only ideas they shall have in their lives.
William James
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Man lives by habits indeed, but what he lives for is thrill and excitements. ... From time immemorial war has been ... the supremely thrilling excitement.
William James
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An unlearned carpenter of my acquaintance once said in my hearing: There is very little difference between one man and another but what little there is, is very important. This distinction seems to me to go to the root of the matter.
William James
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We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, never to be undone.
William James