"The practical consequence of such a[n individualistic] philosophy is the well-known democratic respect for the sacredness of individuality,—is, at any rate, the outward tolerance of whatever is not itself intolerant. These phrases are so familiar that they sound now rather dead in our ears. Once they had a passionate inner meaning. Such a passionate inner meaning they may easily acquire again if the pretension of our nation to inflict its own inner ideals and institutions vi et armis upon Orientals should meet with a resistance as obdurate as so far it has been gallant and spirited. Religiously and philosophically, our ancient national doctrine of live and let live may prove to have a far deeper meaning than our people now seem to imagine it to possess."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Philosophers from the United StatesPsychologists from the United StatesPresidents of the American Psychological AssociationCritics from the United StatesParapsychologists
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Preface
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_James
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
William James
1842 – 1910
US-amerikanischer Philosoph und Psychologe
207 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by William James →
Related Quotes
"The normal process of life contains moments as bad as any of those which insane melancholy is filled with, moments in…"
"Tro ej din vän , förrän i ätit upp en halfspann salt tillsammans."
"The stronghold of the determinist argument is the antipathy to the idea of chance...This notion of alternative possib…"
"The most any one can do is to confess as candidly as he can the grounds for the faith that is in him, and leave his e…"
"What interest, zest, or excitement can there be in achieving the right way, unless we are enabled to feel that the wr…"
"I think that yesterday was a crisis in my life. I finished the first part of Renouvier's second Essais and see no rea…"
"But even the distant reader must allow that Clifford's mental personality belonged to the highest possible type to sa…"
"Romeo wants Juliet as the filings want the magnet; and if no obstacles intervene he moves towards her by as straight …"
"All our scientific and philosophic ideals are altars to unknown gods."
"Freedom is only necessity understood."