"But merely accepting authoritarian truth, even if that truth has some virtue, does not bring skepticism to an end. To blindly accept a truth one has never reflected upon retards the advance of reason. Our world rots in deceit. . . . Just as a tree bears the same fruit year after year and at the same time fruit that is new each year, so must all permanently valuable ideas be continually created anew in thought. But our age pretends to make a sterile tree bear fruit by tying fruits of truth onto its branches."
Quote collection
Albert Schweitzer quotes (page 13 of 18)
347 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"In the same way as the tree bears the same fruit year after year, but each time new fruit, all lastingly valuable ideas in thinking must always be reborn."
"Only an ethical movement can rescue us from barbarism, and the ethical comes into existence only in individuals."
"Jesus as a concrete historical personality remains a stranger to our time, but His spirit, which lies hidden in His words, is known in simplicity, and its influence is direct."
"We all owe to others much of the gentleness and wisdom that we have made our own; and we may well ask ourselves what will others owe to us"
"In modern European thought a tragedy is occurring in that the original bonds uniting the affirmative attitude towards the world with ethics are, by a slow but irresistible process, loosening and finally parting. Out of my life and Thought."
"The the question whether I am a pessimist or an optimist, I answer that my knowledge is pessimistic, but my willing and hope are optimistic."
"The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live. He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything."
"The Bhagavad-Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions."
"We must all die. But that I can save him from days of torture, that is what I feel as my great and ever new privilege. Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death itself."
"The quiet conscience is the invention of the devil. No one of us may permit any preventable pain to be inflicted even though the responsibility for that pain is not ours. No one may shut his eyes and think that the pain which is therefore not visible, is non-existent."
"Where principles and heart stand in conflict with each other, let us make the law of the spirit free from the law of principles."
"Don't stop to ask whether the animal or plant you meet deserves your sympathy, or how much it feels, or even whether it can feel at all: respect it and consider all life sacred."
"I decided that I would make my life my argument."
"The highest knowledge is to know that we are surrounded by mystery."
"I do not believe that we can put into anyone ideas which are not in him already. As a rule there are in everyone all sorts of good ideas, ready like tinder. But much of this tinder catches fire, or catches it successfully, only when it meets some flame or spark from outside, i.e., from some other person."
"Be faithful to your love and you mill be recompensed beyond measure."
"If the extension of your compassion does not include all living beings, then you will be unable to find peace by yourself."
"Truth has not special time of its own. Its hour is now - always and, indeed then most truly, when it seems unsuitable to actual circumstances."
"The stronger the reverence for natural life, the stronger grows also that for spiritual life."