[In many circumstances,] the most important thing about a proposition is not that it be true, but that it be interesting. Alfred North Whitehead More Quotes by Alfred North Whitehead More Quotes From Alfred North Whitehead The misconception which has haunted philosophic literature throughout the centuries is the notion of 'independent existence.' There is no such mode of existence; every entity is to be understood in terms of the way it is interwoven with the rest of the universe. Alfred North Whitehead independent literature way The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order. Alfred North Whitehead change inspirational art Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge. Alfred North Whitehead stupidity political ignorance No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. Alfred North Whitehead wise thank-you inspirational If a dog jumps into your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer. Alfred North Whitehead cat dog animal Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains. Alfred North Whitehead done wonder philosophy The essence of Christianity is the appeal to the life of Christ as a revelation of the nature of God and of God's agency in the world. The record is fragmentary, inconsistent, and uncertain. . . . But there can be no doubt as to what elements in the record have evoked a response from all that is best in human nature. The Mother, the Child, and the bare manger: the lowly man, homeless and self-forgetful, with his message of peace, love, and sympathy: the suffering, the agony, the tender words as life ebbed, the final despair: and the whole with the authority of supreme victory. Alfred North Whitehead mother peace life Knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows. Alfred North Whitehead shrinks grows wisdom There are no whole truths: All truths are half-truths. Alfred North Whitehead half truth lying Everyone is a philosopher. Not everyone is good at it. Alfred North Whitehead philosopher It is a profoundly erroneous truism, repeated by all copy books and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Alfred North Whitehead math book thinking The tragedy of the world is that those who are imaginative have but slight experience, and those who are experienced have feeble imaginations. Alfred North Whitehead experience tragedy imagination How the past perishes is how the future becomes. Alfred North Whitehead past The absolute pacifist is a bad citizen; times come when force must be used to uphold right, justice and ideals. Alfred North Whitehead force citizens justice From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of discovery. Alfred North Whitehead music education children It is more important that a proposition be interesting than that it be true. This statement is almost a tautology. For the energy of operation of a proposition in an occasion of experience is its interest and is its importance. But of course a true proposition is more apt to be interesting than a false one. Alfred North Whitehead important math interesting Religion is the last refuge of human savagery. Alfred North Whitehead atheism lasts religion God is in the world, or nowhere, creating continually in us and around us. Insofar as man partakes of this creative process does he partake of the divine, of God, and that participation is his immortality. Alfred North Whitehead creating creativity men Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude. Alfred North Whitehead mind math life Wisdom alone is true ambition's aim, wisdom is the source of virtue and of fame; obtained with labour, for mankind employed, and then, when most you share it, best enjoyed. Alfred North Whitehead virtue ambition wisdom
