thought

"What is the difference between merely knowing (or remembering, or memorizing) and understanding? We all agree that to understand something, we must know what it means... A thing or idea seems meaningful only when we have several different ways to represent it–different perspectives and different associations. Then we can turn it around in our minds, so to speak: however it seems at the moment, we can see it another way and we never come to a full stop. In other words, we can 'think' about it. If there were only one way to represent this thing or idea, we would not call this representation thinking."

"Most of the time you're better off to think whatever you want to, bite your tongue and keep it to yourself. Other times, if you don't, it may cost you dearly to say it aloud."

"Ohne Phosphor kein Gedanke."

"His thoughts have a high aim, though their dwelling be in the vale of a humble heart."

"It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment, but not in matters of conscience. In matters of duty, first thoughts are commonly best. They have more in them of the voice of God."

"[Some people] think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."

"For it is the same thing that can be thought and that can be."

"In human affairs, all that endures is what men think."

"Man is but a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed."

"Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapor, a drop of water suffices to kill him. But, if the universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has over him; the universe knows nothing of this.All our dignity consists then in thought. By it we must elevate ourselves, and not by space and time which we cannot fill. Let us endeavor to think well; this is the principle of morality."

"Thought can wing its way Swifter than lightning-flashes or the beam That hastens on the pinions of the morn."

"You damn sadist!" said mr. cummings, "you try to make people think."

"As he thinketh in his heart, so is he."

"Gaily I lived as ease and nature taught, And spent my little life without a thought, And am amazed that Death, that tyrant grim, Should think of me, who never thought of him."

"The book of new discoveries and the light of daring is open before humanity, and you have already heard about the approach of the New Era. Every epoch has its Call, and the calling foundation of the New Era will be the power of thought. That is why we call you to understand the great significance of creative thought, and the first step in this direction will be the opening of consciousness, freedom from all prejudices and from all tendentiousness and forced concepts. Let us glance at the entire immensity of the night sky. In our thoughts let us fly over the innumerable worlds and the hidden depths of infinite space. Thought in its substance is infinite, and only our consciousness attempts to limit it. Therefore, without delay, let us start the next step—broadening of consciousness. The most ancient wisdom of India says: “Thought is the primary source of world creation.” The Great Buddha pointed out the meaning of thought which builds our essence. He taught his pupils to broaden their consciousness. Lao Tze, Confucius, Christ —all Teachers of spirit and great thinkers taught the same thing."

"The Great Plato said: “Thoughts rule the world.” And modern scientists, as for instance Professor Compton, have expressed the probability of an active, rational force in every phenomenon of nature, and of the influence of thought upon matter. He concludes with the following remarkable words: “Possibly the thoughts of men are the most important factors in the world.” With such broad understanding let us become acquainted with the history of the development of thought. Putting aside all prejudices of place, time and nationality, we, like the bees, shall collect the precious honey of human creative thought! After placing into the foundation the powerful achievements of those great creators who molded our consciousness, let us begin the third step—the development of our own thought, our own creativeness; and from the new combinations we shall hew sparks of the fire of thought, this crown of the Universe."

"Let us remember that a thinking being is never lonely because thought is his greatest magnet and brings similar response from space. Therefore, if we want to receive a beautiful answer we should send into vibrating space our striving thoughts saturated with the pure fire of the heart; only the thought which is spiritualized by striving, nourished by the heart, can create and attract as a powerful magnet. Thought without the striving and flaming quality is sterile. Thus, let us long for knowledge, for broad thoughts, and in our striving we shall dare, as only daring thought molds new ways."

"We all have a tendency to think that the world must conform to our prejudices. The opposite view involves some effort of thought, and most people would die sooner than think — in fact they do so."

"Sweetest mother, I can weave no more to-day, For thoughts of him come thronging, Him for whom my heart is longing— For I know not where my weary fingers stray."

"At Learning's fountain it is sweet to drink, But 'tis a nobler privilege to think."

"The greater part of humanity is too much harassed and fatigued by the struggle with want, to rally itself for a new and sterner struggle with error. Satisfied if they themselves can escape from the hard labour of thought, they willingly abandon to others the guardianship of their thoughts."

"Es lebt ein anders denkendes Geschlecht!"

"It is what a man has thought out directly for himself that alone has true value. Thinkers may be classed as follows: those who, in the first place, think for themselves, and those who think directly for others. The former thinkers are the genuine, they think for themselves in both senses of the word; they are the true philosophers; they alone are in earnest. Moreover, the enjoyment and happiness of their existence consist in thinking. The others are the sophists; they wish to seem, and seek their happiness in what they hope to get from other people; their earnestness consists in this."

"The characteristic sign of a mind of the highest standard is the directness of its judgment. Everything it utters is the result of thinking for itself; this is shown everywhere in the way it gives expression to its thoughts. Therefore it is, like a prince, an imperial director in the realm of intellect. All other minds are mere delegates, as may be seen by their style, which has no stamp of its own.Hence every true thinker for himself is so far like a monarch; he is absolute, and recognises nobody above him. His judgments, like the decrees of a monarch, spring from his own sovereign power and proceed directly from himself. He takes as little notice of authority as a monarch does of a command; nothing is valid unless he has himself authorised it. On the other hand, those of vulgar minds, who are swayed by all kinds of current opinions, authorities, and prejudices, are like the people which in silence obey the law and commands."

"Still are the thoughts to memory dear."

"Learning to see the structures within which we operate begins a process of freeing ourselves from previously unseen forces and ultimately mastering the ability to work with them and change them."

"We never think entirely alone; we think in company, in a vast collaboration; we work with the workers of the past and of the present."

"Thinking is conceiving what is."

"Ah! comme vous dites, il faut glisser sur bien des pensées, et ne faire pas semblant de les voir."

"Men's first thoughts in this matter are generally better than their second; their natural notions better than those refin'd by study, or consultation with casuists."

"But now behold, In the quick forge and working-house of thought, How London doth pour out her citizens!"

"My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel."

"A maiden hath no tongue but thought."

"Thought is free."

"A thought by thought is piled, till some great truth Is loosened, and the nations echo round, Shaken to their roots, as do the mountains now."

"Come near me! I do weave A chain I cannot break—I am possest With thoughts too swift and strong for one lone human breast."

"Second thoughts oftentimes are the very worst of all thoughts."

"Strange thoughts beget strange deeds."

"On earth, the door still swings wide open. We live in a new thought."

"High-erected thoughts seated in the heart of courtesy."

"They are never alone that are accompanied with noble thoughts."

"If I could think how these my thoughts to leave, Or thinking still, my thoughts might have good end: If rebel sense would reason's law receive; Or reason foil'd would not in vain contend: Then might I think what thoughts were best to think: Then might I wisely swim, or gladly sink."

"We think so because all other people think so; Or because—or because—after all, we do think so; Or because we were told so, and think we must think so; Or because we once thought so, and think we still think so; Or because, having thought so, we think we will think so."

"Oh, the fetterless mind! how it wandereth free Through the wildering maze of Eternity!"

"Thinking is but an idle waste of thought, And naught is everything, and everything is naught."

"I never could find any man who could think for two minutes together."

"Quick thinkers are not safe ones."

"Thought can never be compared with action, but when it awakens in us the image of truth."

"Unreason and anti-intellectualism abominate thought. Thinking implies disagreement; and disagreement implies nonconformity; and nonconformity implies heresy; and heresy implies disloyalty—so, obviously, thinking must be stopped."

"Every man has some peculiar train of thought which he falls back upon when he is alone. This, to a great degree, moulds the man."