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Alfred North Whitehead Quotes

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Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.

Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.

Alfred North Whitehead
Ignorance, Stupidity, Political

Speak out in acts; the time for words has passed, and only deeds will suffice.

Alfred North Whitehead
Speaks Out, Deeds, Action

It is the business of the future to be dangerous; and it is among the merits of science that it equips the future for its duties.

Alfred North Whitehead
Future, Science, Merit
Alfred North Whitehead (1997). “Science and the Modern World”, p.207, Simon and Schuster

An unflinching determination to take the whole evidence into account is the only method of preservation against the fluctuating extremes of fashionable opinion.

Alfred North Whitehead
Determination, Opinion, Preservation
Alfred North Whitehead (1997). “Science and the Modern World”, p.187, Simon and Schuster

You cannot be wise without some basis of knowledge, but you may easily acquire knowledge and remain bare of wisdom.

Alfred North Whitehead
Wise, May, Bases
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.30, Simon and Schuster

The purpose of education is not to fill a vessel but to kindle a flame.

Alfred North Whitehead
Flames, Purpose, Kindles

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
Alfred North Whitehead (2014). “Science and Philosophy”, p.54, Open Road Media

The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order.

Alfred North Whitehead
Inspirational, Change, Art
Alfred North Whitehead, David Ray Griffin (1978). “Process and reality: an essay in cosmology”, Free Pr

Great people plant trees they'll never sit under.

Alfred North Whitehead
Wisdom, People, Tree

Fundamental progress has to do with the reinterpretation of basic ideas.

Alfred North Whitehead
Motivation, Ideas, Progress
Alfred North Whitehead (2014). “Science and Philosophy”, p.142, Open Road Media

It takes an extraordinary intelligence to contemplate the obvious.

Alfred North Whitehead
Obvious, Contemplating, Extraordinary

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
Inspirational, Thank You, Wise

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
Dog, Cat, Animal
Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price (2001). “Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead”, p.183, David R. Godine Publisher

The total absence of humor from the Bible is one of the most singular things in all literature.

Alfred North Whitehead
Literature, Absence

Ninety percent of our lives is governed by emotion.

Alfred North Whitehead
Emotion, Life Is, Ninety
"Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead" by Alfred North Whitehead, Lucien Price, Ch. 29, 1954.

In all education the main cause of failure is staleness.

Alfred North Whitehead
Failure, Teaching, Causes
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.55, Simon and Schuster

Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.

Alfred North Whitehead
Philosophy, Done, Wonder
Alfred North Whitehead (1968). “Modes of Thought”, p.168, Simon and Schuster

We think in generalities, but we live in detail.

Alfred North Whitehead
Inspirational, Time, Educational
Alfred North Whitehead (2014). “Science and Philosophy”, p.20, Open Road Media

The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of existence, backwards and forwards, that whole amplitude of time, which is eternity.

Alfred North Whitehead
Perception, Foundation, Eternity
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.14, Simon and Schuster

There are no whole truths: All truths are half-truths.

Alfred North Whitehead
Truth, Lying, Half
Dialogues prologue (1954)

Knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows.

Alfred North Whitehead
Wisdom, Grows, Shrinks
Alfred North Whitehead (1967). “Aims of Education”, p.37, Simon and Schuster

In a certain sense, everything is everywhere at all times. For every location involves an aspect of itself in every other location. Thus every spatio-temporal standpoint mirrors the world

Alfred North Whitehead
Mirrors, World, Location
Alfred North Whitehead (1997). “Science and the Modern World”, p.91, Simon and Schuster

After you understand about the sun and the stars and the rotation of the earth, you may still miss the radiance of the sunset.

Alfred North Whitehead
Stars, Attitude, Sunset

I have always noticed that deeply and truly religious persons are fond of a joke, and I am suspicious of those who aren't.

Alfred North Whitehead
Religious, Affection, Persons
Church and Home (published by United Methodist Church, and Evangelical United Brethren Church), Volume 1, p. 21, 1964.

The worship of God is not a rule of safety - it is an adventure of the spirit, a flight after the unattainable.

Alfred North Whitehead
Adventure, Safety, Unattainable
1925 Science and the Modern World.

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