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There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.

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
Anywhere
Somewhere
Difference
Differences
Doe
Make

More quotes by William James

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Truth in our ideas means their power to work.
William James
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Why may we not be in the universe, as our dogs and cats are in our drawingrooms and libraries?
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We are stereotyped creatures, imitators and copiers of our past selves.
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A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain.
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The mind, in short, works on the data it receives very much as a sculptor works on his block of stone. In a sense the statue stoodthere from eternity. But there were a thousand different ones beside it, and the sculptor alone is to thank for having extricated this one from the rest.
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Habit is the enormous flywheel of society, its most precious conservative agent. There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision. Full half the time of such a man goes to the deciding, or regretting, of matters which ought to be so ingrained in him as practically not to exist for his consciousness at all.
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In business for yourself, not by yourself.
William James
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I will act as if I do make a difference.
William James
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If an unusual necessity forces us onward, a surprising thing occurs. The fatigue gets worse up to a certain point, when, gradually or suddenly, it passes away and we are fresher than before!
William James
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The states of consciousness are all that psychology needs to do her work with. Metaphysics or theology may prove the Soul to exist but for psychology the hypothesis of such a substantial principle of unity is superfluous.
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The deepest hunger in human beings is the desire to be appreciated.
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So our self-feeling in this world depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do.
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To give up pretensions is as blessed a relief as to get them ratified.
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It is only by risking our persons from one hour to another that we live at all. And often enough our faith beforehand in an uncertified result is the only thing that makes the result come true.
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Instinct leads, logic does but follow.
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In the acquisition of a new habit, or the leaving off of an old one, we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong and decided an initiative as possible.
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Volition . . . takes place only when there are a number of conflicting systems of ideas, and depends on our having a complex field of consciousness.
William James
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The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.
William James
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Our errors are surely not such awfully solemn things. In a world where we are so certain to incur them in spite of all our caution, a certain lightness of heart seems healthier than this excessive nervousness on their behalf.
William James
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Formula to live your dream: 1. Be bold. 2. Begin now, 3. No exceptions.
William James