All philosophers make the common mistake of taking contemporary man as their starting point and of trying, through an analysis of him, to[21] reach a conclusion. "Man" involuntarily presents himself to them as an aeterna veritas as a passive element in every hurly-burly, as a fixed standard of things. Yet everything uttered by the philosopher on the subject of man is, in the last resort, nothing more than a piece of testimony concerning man during a very limited period of time.

We should not talk about our friends: otherwise we will talk away the feeling of friendship.

My philosophy is inverted Platonism: the further a thing is from true being, the purer, the lovelier, the better it is. Living inillusion as a goal!

Help thyself: then everyone will help thee too. Principle of Christian charity.

The relatives of a suicide hold it against him that out of consideration for their reputation he did not remain alive.

The one seeks a midwife to deliver his thoughts, the other, someone to assist: thus a good conversation comes into being.

Phlegmatic natures can be inspired to enthusiasm only by being made into fanatics.