He who truly believes that which prompts him to an action has looked upon the action to lust after it, he has committed it already in his heart.

There is one thing in the world more wicked than the desire to command, and that is the will to obey.

We feel much happier and more secure when we think we know precisely what to do, no matter what happens, then when we have lost our way and do not know where to turn.

He who truly believes that which prompts him to an action has looked upon the action to lust after it, he has committed it already in his heart.

The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous, and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them; for then it must sink back into savagery.

If a man, holding a belief which he was taught in childhood or persuaded of afterwards, keeps down and pushes away any doubts which arise about it in his mind, purposely avoids the reading of books and the company of men that call in question or discuss it, and regards as impious those questions which cannot easily be asked without disturbing it - the life of that man is one long sin against mankind.

Our lives our guided by that general conception of the course of things which has been created by society for social purposes.