Walter Kaufmann Professions : Philosopher Born : July 1, 1921 Died : September 4, 1980 Browse All Authors Top 35 quotes by Walter Kaufmann Let people who do not know what to do with themselves in this life, but fritter away their time reading magazines and watching television, hope for eternal life... The life I want is a life I could not endure in eternity. It is a life of love and intensity, suffering and creation, that makes life worthwhile and death welcome. There is no other life I should prefer. Neither should I like not to die. Walter Kaufmann reading suffering people The refusal to belong to any school of thought, the repudiation of the adequacy of any body of beliefs whatever, and especially of systems, and a marked dissatisfaction with traditional philosophy as superficial, academic, and remote from life-that is the heart of existentialism. Walter Kaufmann heart philosophy school Mundus vult decipi: the world wants to be deceived. The truth is too complex and frightening; the taste for the truth is an acquired taste that few acquire…. ….The world winks at dishonesty. the world does not call it dishonesty Walter Kaufmann doe want world It does not follow that the meaning must be given from above; that life and suffering must come neatly labeled; that nothing is worth while if the world is not governed by a purpose. Walter Kaufmann purpose suffering doe Man stands alone in the universe, responsible for his condition, likely to remain in a lowly state, but free to reach above the stars. Walter Kaufmann stand-alone stars men Job's forthright indictment of the injustice of this world is surely right. The ways of the world are weird and much more unpredictable than either scientists or theologians generally make things look. Walter Kaufmann jobs looks world The problem of suffering is: why is there the suffering we know? Walter Kaufmann problem suffering knows The great artist is the man who most obviously succeeds in turning his pains to advantage, in letting suffering deepen his understanding and sensibility, in growing through his pains. Walter Kaufmann pain men art Reason may not always tell us what to believe, but it can help us on what we shouldn't believe. Walter Kaufmann may helping believe The deepest difference between religions is not that between polytheism and monotheism. Walter Kaufmann polytheism monotheism differences Rabbi Zusya said that on the Day of Judgment, God would ask him, not why he had not been Moses, but why he had not been Zusya. Walter Kaufmann being-single judgment being-yourself Philosophy means liberation from the - routine, soaring above the well known, seeing it in new perspectives, arousing wonder and the wish to fly. Walter Kaufmann perspective philosophy mean Writing is thinking in slow motion. Walter Kaufmann slow-motion writing thinking The Greeks had considered hope the final evil in Pandora's box. They also gave us an image of perfect nobility: a human being lovingly doing her duty to another human being despite all threats, and going to her death with pride and courage, not deterred by any hope - Antigone. Walter Kaufmann pride evil perfect When Hegel later became a man of influence' he insisted that the Jews should be granted equal rights because civic rights belong to man because he is a man and not on account of his ethnic origins or his religion. Walter Kaufmann influence rights men To try to fashion something from suffering, to relish our triumphs, and to endure defeats without resentment: all that is compatible with the faith of a heretic. Walter Kaufmann fashion suffering trying It was also Hegel who established the view that the different philosophic systems that we find in history are to be comprehended in terms of development and that they are generally one-sided because they owe their origins to a reaction against what has gone before. Walter Kaufmann different views gone Life ceases to be so oppressive: we are free to give our own lives meaning and purpose, free to redeem our suffering by making something of it. Walter Kaufmann meaning-of-life suffering giving Those who believe in God because their experience of life and the facts of nature prove his existence must have led sheltered lives and closed their hearts to the voice of their brothers' blood. Walter Kaufmann brother heart believe Words signify man's refusal to accept the world as it is. Walter Kaufmann writing men world Similar Authors F. H. Bradley philosopher Irving Copi philosopher Ivan Ilyin philosopher Ivan Illich philosopher Bion of Borysthenes philosopher Bonaventure philosopher All Authors
