René Descartes (La Haye en Touraine, 31/03/1596 – Stockholm, 11/02/1650), French philosopher, physicist and mathematician
Wisdom
It is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.
The passions “are all intrinsically good, and that all we have to avoid is their misuse or their excess.
Two things contribute to progress: to go faster than others or go the right way.
When it is not in our power to determine what is true, we ought to follow what is most probable.
Reason or judgment is the only thing that separates us men from the animals.
It is by philosophy that we are distinguished from savages and barbarians. The civilization and culture of a nation is regulated by the degree in which true philosophy flourishes and, accordingly, to contain true philosophers is the highest privilege a state can enjoy.
It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well. The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues, and those who walk slowly can, if they follow the right path, go much farther than those who run rapidly in the wrong direction.
Reading a book teaches us more than speaking to the author, because the author puts only his best thoughts into the book.
When we spend too much time traveling, we end up becoming foreigners in our own country.
Traveling serves us to know other customs from different peoples and to rid ourselves of the preconception that it is only possible to live in our own country in the way we are accustomed to.
The first maxim is to remain faithful to the laws and customs of one’s country, and in everything else to follow moderate opinions kept from all excessiveness.
My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world.
It is enough to have good judgment to do good, and judge the best possible in all circumstances so that we may also do our best.
I only wish for tranquility and rest, which are the wealth that not even the most powerful kings of the earth can concede to those who would not take it with their own hands.
When one is too curious concerning what went on in past ages, he is apt to remain ignorant of what is taking place in his own day.
One can distinguish two species of anger: one is quite prompt and has strong external manifestations, but nevertheless has little effect and can easily be appeased; the other does not appear so clearly at first, but eats away further at the heart and has more dangerous effects.
Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.
Even the most perfect spirits will need provide much of their time and attention.
Virtues
There is no soul, however undignified, that remains so attached to the objects of the senses that, at times does not move away from them in the desire for a greater good.
It is exactly worthlessness to not be useful to anyone.
The good we‘ve done gives us an inner satisfaction which is the sweetest of all passions.
A multiplicity of laws often provides an excuse for vices.
Irony, Good humor
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense, reason and intelligence: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
To regulate the conduct of others belongs to sovereigns alone or to those who are authorized by them.
Have contempt for a man who is jealous of his wife, because this indicates that he does not love her in the right way and that he has a bad opinion of himself or her.
My only desire is to know the world and the comedies represented within it.
Monkeys are so intelligent that they do not speak so that we do not put them to work.
Bad books provoke bad customs and bad customs provoke good books.
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