Denis Diderot
France
5 Oct 1713 // 31 Jul 1784
Philosopher / Writer
5 Oct 1713 // 31 Jul 1784
Philosopher / Writer
Quotes
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Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things
It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the converse is in fact true: will is a product of desire
In order to shake a hypothesis, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more than push it as far as it will go
If you want me to believe in God, you must make me touch him
From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step
Evil always turns up in this world through some genius or other
Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion and not when someone else tells me to
Distance is a great promoter of admiration!
We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter
We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates
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On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays
Essays