Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Rightly defined philosophy is simply the love of wisdom.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Philosophy involves a deep appreciation and pursuit of wisdom.
Cicero's quote suggests that at its core, philosophy is driven by a profound affection for wisdom and understanding. It emphasizes the idea that the quest for knowledge and insight is not just an academic exercise but a heartfelt endeavor to grasp the fundamental truths of existence and enhance our understanding of life.
Themes
PhilosophyWisdomKnowledgeUnderstandingLove
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on philosophy, one could use this quote to illustrate the essence of philosophical thought.
More from Marcus Tullius Cicero
All quotes βThose wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defence can actually be just.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Nothing contributes to the entertainment of the reader more, than the change of times and the vicissitudes of fortune.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Advice in old age is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey's end.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Similar quotes
I looked back at the summit of the mountain, which seemed but a cubit high in comparison with the height of human contemplation, were in not too often merged in the corruptions of the earth.
PetrarchRead
An open society calls itself open to improvement. It is based on the recognition that people have divergent views and interests, and that nobody is in possession of the ultimate truth.
George SorosRead
If just once you were depressed for no reason, you have been so all your life without knowing.
Emile M. CioranRead
Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Fame is also won at the expense of others. Even the well-deserved honors of the scientist or man of learning are unfair to many persons of equal achievements who get none. When one man gets a place in the sun, the others are put in a denser shade. From the point of view of the whole group there's no gain whatsoever, and perhaps a loss.
B. F. SkinnerRead
I court not the votes of the fickle mob.
HoraceRead