Will Durant
Will Durant
William James "Will" Durantwas an American writer, historian, and philosopher. He is best known for The Story of Civilization, 11 volumes written in collaboration with his wife, Ariel Durant, and published between 1935 and 1975. He was earlier noted for The Story of Philosophy, described as "a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize philosophy"...
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth5 November 1885
war civilization democracy
War is one of the constants of history, and it has not diminished with civilization or democracy.
air fingers turns
The finger that turns the dial rules the air.
children men heritage
If a man is fortunate he will, before he dies, gather up as much as he can of his civilized heritage and transmit it to his children.
philosophy philosophical civilization
A history of civilization shares the presumptuousness of every philosophical enterprise: it offers the ridiculous spectacle of a fragment expounding the whole. Like philosophy, such a venture has no rational excuse, and is at best but a brave stupidity; but let us hope that, like philosophy, it will always lure some rash spirits into its fatal depths.
east west socialism
The fear of capitalism has compelled socialism to widen freedom, and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality. East is West and West is East, and soon the twain will meet.
insecurity culture chaos
Cultural creation... begins where chaos and insecurity end.
philosophy people logic
In its youth a people produce mythology and poetry; in its decadence, philosophy and logic.
wall democracies-have government
All deductions having been made, democracy has done less harm, and more good, than any other form of government. It gave to human existence a zest and camaraderie that outweighed its pitfalls and defects. It gave to thought and science and enterprise the freedom essential to their operation and growth. It broke down the walls of privilege and class, and in each generation it raised up ability from every rank and place.
paganism christianity adopted
Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it.
wisdom war light
Science tells us how to heal and how to kill; it reduces our death rate in retail and then kills us wholesale in war; but only wisdom - desire coordinated in the light of all experience - can tell us when to heal and when to kill.
men liberty progress
Human progress having reached a high level through respect for the liberty and dignity of men, it has become desirable to re-affirm these evident truths
past men color
I have tried to be impartial, though I know that a man's past always colors his views, and that nothing else is so irritating as impartiality.
song strong fall
Grow strong, my comrade … that you may stand Unshaken when I fall; that I may know The shattered fragments of my song will come At last to finer melody in you; That I may tell my heart that you begin Where passing I leave off, and fathom more.
inspirational men animal
Contentment is rare among men as it is natural among animals