To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
All work is an act of philosophy.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that every task we undertake reflects our philosophical beliefs and values.
Ayn Rand's assertion that 'All work is an act of philosophy' implies that the principles guiding our work are inherently linked to our worldview and beliefs about existence, ethics, and purpose. This perspective challenges us to recognize that even the most mundane tasks carry deeper meanings, representing our choices and commitments to a certain philosophical outlook on life.
In practice
During a team meeting discussing project values, you might reference this quote to emphasize the importance of philosophy in decision-making.
To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
The difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.
It is my eyes which see, and the sight of my eyes grants beauty to the earth. It is my ears which hear, and the hearing of my ears gives its song to the world. It is my mind which thinks, and the judgement of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect.
What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion.
One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i.e., the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living.
I think that when in doubt about the truth of an issue, it's safer and in better taste to select the least numerous of the adversaries.
I can tell you that God is alive because I talked to him this morning.
And silence. She liked the silence most of all. The silence in which the body, senses, the instincts, are more alert, more powerful, more sensitized, live a more richly perfumed and intoxication life, instead of transmuting into thoughts, words, into exquisite abstractions, mathematics of emotion in place of violent impact, the volcanic eruptions of fever, lust and delight.
If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.
Pure libertarianism believes that people will be generous and help each other. Well, they won't. I wish it were so, and I live that way. I help panhandlers, but other people are, 'Oh look at that - why doesn't he get a job?' While I believe in all that freedom, I also believe that no one should suffer needlessly.
I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.
If the black box flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isnβt the whole airplane made out of that stuff?
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.