As soon as man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds it as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing the mystery of existence, which leads to deeper thinking about life.
Albert Schweitzer suggests that when individuals stop taking their existence for granted and begin to see it as a profound mystery, it sparks a process of thoughtful inquiry. By acknowledging the enigmatic nature of life, they open themselves up to deeper reflection and understanding, which can ultimately lead to personal and existential growth.
In practice
This quote can be used in a philosophical debate about the nature of existence.
I do not want to frighten you by telling you about the temptations life will bring. Anyone who is healthy in spirit will overcome them. But there is something I want you to realize. It does not matter so much what you do. What matters is whether your soul is harmed by what you do. If your soul is harmed, something irreparable happens, the extent of which you won't realize until it will be too late.
Within every patient there resides a doctor, and we as physicians are at our best when we we put our patients in touch with the doctor inside themselves.
By ethical conduct toward all creatures, we enter into a spiritual relationship with the universe.
No one can give a definition of the soul. But we know what it feels like. The soul is the sense of something higher than ourselves, something that stirs in us thoughts, hopes, and aspirations which go out to the world of goodness, truth and beauty. The soul is a burning desire to breathe in this world of light and never to lose it--to remain children of light.
The mistake made by all previous systems of ethics has been the failure to recognize that life as such is the mysterious value with which they have to deal. All spiritual life meets us within natural life. Reverence for life, therefore, is applied to natural life and spiritual life alike. In the parable of Jesus, the shepherd saves not merely the soul of the lost sheep but the whole animal. The stronger the reverence for natural life, the stronger grows also that for spiritual life.
The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character.
Accidents, try to change them - it's impossible. The accidental reveals man.
The simple opposition between the people and big business has disappeared because the people themselves have become so deeply involved in big business.
We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom.
The question of how things will settle down is the only important question.
The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers and mothers?-Or do they wish us to return thanks to them for chaining and handcuffing us, branding us, cramming fire down our throats, or for keeping us in slavery, and beating us nearly or quite to death to make us work in ignorance and miseries, to support them and their families. They certainly think we are a gang of fools.
The myth of unending consumption has taken the place of the belief in life everlasting.
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