This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question in philosophy.
The riddle of the universe is not so simple. There is the aspect of permanence in which a given type of attainment is endlessly repeated for its own sake; and there is the aspect of transition to other things - it may be of higher worth and it may be of lower worth. Also there are aspects of struggle and of friendly help. But romantic ruthlessness is no nearer to real politics, than is romantic self-abnegation.
Attainment | Politics | Ruthlessness | Self | Struggle | Universe | Worth |
Arthur C Clarke, formally Sir Arthur Charles Clark
A faith that cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets.
The real measure of our wealth is our worth if we lost our money.
The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.
If to talk to oneself when alone is folly, it must be doubly unwise to listen to oneself in the presence of others... In conversation discretion is more important than eloquence.
Conversation | Discretion | Folly | Important |
Bertrand Russell, fully Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell
The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it.
Philosophy | Will | Worth |
Two things, well considered, would prevent many quarrels; first to have it well ascertained whether we are not disputing about terms rather than things; and secondly, to examine whether that on which we differ is worth contending about.
Worth |
A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month's study of books.
Daniel Boorstin, fully Daniel Joseph Boorstin
A sign of celebrity is often that his name is worth more than his services.
Worth |