Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.
Paul TillichRead
Man is able to decide for or against reason, he is able to create beyond reason or to destroy below reason
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the human capacity for rational thought and the consequential choices we make that can uplift or undermine reason.
Paul Tillich's quote emphasizes the duality of human existence, where individuals possess the agency to either embrace rational thought and create constructive outcomes or succumb to irrationality and destructiveness. It reflects on our potential to make profound decisions that shape our world, for better or worse, suggesting that our ability to choose defines the essence of our humanity.
Themes
ReasonChoiceHumanityCreationDestruction
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophy class discussion on free will, this quote can be used to illustrate the importance of decision-making.
More from Paul Tillich
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He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.
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The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
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The citizens of a city are not guilty of the crimes committed in their city; but they are guilty as participants in the destiny of [humanity] as a whole and in the destiny of their city in particular; for their acts in which freedom was united with destiny have contributed to the destiny in which they participate. They are guilty, not of committing the crimes of which their group is accused, but of contributing to the destiny in which these crimes happened.
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Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human
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