The point of civilization is to be civilized; the purpose of action is to perpetuate society, for only in society can philosophy truly take place.

- Iain Pears

Virtue comes through contemplation of the divine, and the exercise of philosophy. But it also comes through public service. The one is incomplete wit…

- Iain Pears

And a more foolish notion can scarcely be imagined, it being obvious that the reader is only informed of what the writer wishes him to know, and is t…

- Iain Pears

Every cataclysm is welcomed by somebody; there is always someone to rejoice at disaster and see in it the prospect of a new beginning and a better wo…

- Iain Pears

For the first time, she did want more. She did not know what she wanted, knew that it was dangerous and that she should rest content with what she ha…

- Iain Pears

The evil done by men of goodwill is the worst of all ... We have done terrible things, for the best of reasons, and that makes it worse.

- Iain Pears

Do you know, the only people I can have a conversation with are the Jews? At least when they quote scripture at you they are not merely repeating som…

- Iain Pears

In my small way, I preserved and catalogued, and dipped into the vast ocean of learning that awaited, knowing all the time that the life of one man w…

- Iain Pears

When all this is over, people will try to blame the Germans alone, and the Germans will try to blame the Nazis alone, and the Nazis will try to blame…

- Iain Pears