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“Quarry the granite rock with razors, or moor the vessel with a thread of silk; then may you hope with such keen and delicate instruments as human knowledge and human reason to contend against those giants, the passion and the pride of man.”
― The Idea of a University
― The Idea of a University
“In all ages there arise protests from tender men against the bitterness of criticism, especially social criticism. They are the same men who, when they come down with malaria, patronize a doctor who prescribes, not quinine, but marshmallows.”
― A Second Mencken Chrestomathy
― A Second Mencken Chrestomathy
“All that I know of tomorrow is that Providence will rise before the sun.”
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“Atheist: 'I hear the voice of conscience, but I deny the reality of God.' St. Thomas: 'That is like listening to someone speak, but denying that anyone is there.' Atheist: 'That's right; nobody is.' St. Thomas: 'Then you deny not only God but conscience, because you consider it a hallucination.' Atheist: 'I misspoke. What I meant to say is that when I am listening to conscience, I am really listening to myself.' St. Thomas: 'Then you still deny conscience, because you deny its authority to judge you. Instead you claim to judge yourself, but no one can be judge in his own case.”
― Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law
― Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law
“Of course there is such a thing as too much doubt, for we ought to accept what is true. But there is also such a thing as proper doubt, for we ought not accept what is false. The possibility of doubt is inherent in the longing to understand, and nothing less than complete and perfect knowledge can satisfy the mind. We do not possess such knowledge here on earth; it is reserved for the beatific vision. Until then, doubt will be with us. This is...why it is so unreasonable to trust only what cannot be doubted, as Descartes proposed, because everything can be doubted. We should believe, not what we cannot doubt, but what we have the best reasons to believe.”
― Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law
― Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law
Julia’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Julia’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
2,659 books
|
309 friends
12,628 books
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143 friends
1,563 books
|
121 friends
533 books
|
23 friends
105 books
|
35 friends
298 books
|
69 friends
13 books
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84 friends
1,708 books
|
46 friends
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