Civilization is first of all a moral thing. Without truth, respect for duty, love of neighbor, and virtue, everything is destroyed. The morality of a society is alone the basis of civilization.
Henri Frederic AmielRead
The ideal doctor would be a man endowed with profound knowledge of life and of the soul, intuitively divining any suffering or disorder of whatever kind, and restoring peace by his mere presence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A great doctor combines deep knowledge with an understanding of the human condition, providing healing through his presence.
Henri Frederic Amiel's quote emphasizes the ideal qualities of a doctor beyond just technical skills; it highlights the importance of possessing deep wisdom about life and the human soul. An exceptional doctor should intuitively sense the suffering of their patients and offer healing simply by being present, suggesting that empathy and connection are as crucial as medical expertise in the healing process.
Themes
DoctorHealingWisdomEmpathyPresence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about holistic medicine, one might quote this to illustrate the importance of empathy in healthcare.
More from Henri Frederic Amiel
All quotes →Man never knows what he wants; he aspires to penetrate mysteries and as soon as he has, wants to re-establish them. Ignorance irritates him and knowledge cloys.
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Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.
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Any landscape is a condition of the spirit.
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True love is that which ennobles the personality, fortifies the heart, and sanctifies the existence.
Henri Frederic AmielRead
It is by teaching that we teach ourselves, by relating that we observe, by affirming that we examine, by showing that we look, by writing that we think, by pumping that we draw water into the well.
Henri Frederic AmielRead
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