WIST Quotations

Democritus -- Frag. 69 (Diels) [tr. @sententiq (2018), fr. 68]

Dave — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:52:07 +0000

Truth and goodness are the same for all people. But pleasure varies from one to another.

Ἀνθρώποις πᾶσι τωὐτὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἀληθές· ἡδὺ δὲ ἄλλωι ἄλλο.

Democritus (c. 460 BC - c. 370 BC) Greek philosopher
Frag. 69 (Diels) [tr. @sententiq (2018), fr. 68]
(Source)

Diels citation "69. (6 N.) DEMOKRATES. 34.". Freeman notes this as one of the Gnômae, from a collection called "Maxims of Democratês," but because Stobaeus quotes many of these as "Maxims of Democritus," they are generally attributed to the latter. Alternate translations:

"For all men, good and true are the same; but pleasant differs for different men." [tr. Freeman (1948)]
"The same thing is good and true for all men. But what is pleasant differs from one to another." [Warren (2008)]
"Goodness and truth are the same for all men: but pleasure differs from man to man." [Source]

Dick, Philip K. -- “How To Build A Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days Later” (1978)

Dave — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 05:05:53 +0000

It was always my hope in writing novels and stories which asked the question, “what is reality?”, to someday get an answer. This was the hope of most of my readers, too. Years passed. I wrote over thirty novels and over a hundred stories and I still couldn’t figure out what was real. One day a girl college student in Canada asked me to define reality for her, for a paper she was writing for her philosophy class. She wanted a one-sentence answer. I thought about it and finally said, “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” That’s all I could come up with. That was back in 1972. Since then I haven’t been able to define reality any more lucidly.

Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) American writer
“How To Build A Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days Later” (1978)

Lessing, Gotthold -- Letter (1771-01-09), to Moses Mendelssohn

Dave — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 12:33:38 +0000

For all but one in thousands the goal of their thinking is the point at which they have become tired of thinking.

[Tausenden für einen ist das Ziel ihres Nachdenkens die Stelle, wo sie des Nachdenkens müde geworden.]

Gotthold Lessing (1729-1781) German playwright, philosopher, dramaturg, writer
Letter (1771-01-09), to Moses Mendelssohn
(Source)

(Source (German)). Alternate translations:

In a thousand cases to one, the goal of reflection is set at the point where one gets tired of reflection.
(Source)

For the vast majority of men, the object of their reflection lies at the point where they become tired of reflecting.
(Source)

Ackoff, Russell -- On Purposeful Systems, Vol. 6 (1972) [with R Lincoln and F Emery]

Dave — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 16:30:04 +0000

Man seeks objectives that enable him to convert the attainment of every goal into a means for the attainment of a new and more desirable goal. The ultimate objective in such a sequence cannot be obtainable; otherwise its attainment would put an end to the process. An end that satisfies these conditions is an ideal …. Thus the formulation and pursuit of ideals is a means by which to put meaning and significance into his life and into the history of which he is part.

Russell L. Ackoff (1919-2009) American organizational theorist, consultant, management scientist
On Purposeful Systems, Vol. 6 (1972) [with R Lincoln and F Emery]

~Other -- Ron Ward

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

One man’s perfectly rational and objective decision making may be another man’s utter insanity.

(Other Authors and Sources)
Ron Ward