FIX University

American Philosophical Association's Guide to Undergraduate Study in

Philosophy

Philosophy: A Brief Guide for Undergraduates

The unexamined life is not worth living.

—Socrates

Happiness is something final and complete in itself, as being the aim and end of all practical activities whatever …Happiness then we define as the active exercise of the mind in conformity with perfect goodness or virtue.

—Aristotle

Now laws are said to be just both from the end (when, namely, they are ordained to the common good), from their author (…when the law does not exceed the power of the lawgiver), and from their form (when, namely, burdens are laid on the subjects according to an equality of proportion).

—Saint Thoman Aquinas

There is a great difference between mind and body, inasmuch as body is by nature always divisible, and the mind is entirely indivisible.

—René Descartes

Love is pleasure accompanied by the idea of an external cause, and hatred pain accompanied by the idea of an external cause.

—Spinoza

The effect is totally different from the cause, and consequently can never be discovered in it.

—David Hume

The very notion of what is called Matter or corporeal substance invloves a contradiction.

—George Berkeley

The understanding does not derive its laws (a priori) from, but prescribes them to, nature.

—Immanuel Kant

The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.

—John Stuart Mill

There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.

—William James

Whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent.

—Ludwig Wittgenstein

Fact is richer than diction.

—J. L. Austin

Existence precedes essence.

—Jean-Paul Sartre