Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.

—John Stuart Mill

About John Stuart Mill

Portrait of John Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, and politician. He was a paradigmatic philosopher of liberalism and has been described as "the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century" by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. He conceived of liberty as...

More quotations from John Stuart Mill

A person may cause evil to others not only by his action but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.

—John Stuart Mill

In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service.

—John Stuart Mill

fitting in nonconformity

All good things which exist are the fruits of originality.

—John Stuart Mill

creation art originality

I put the question directly to myself: "Suppose that all your objects in life were realized; that all the changes in institutions and opinions which you are looking forward to could be completely effected at this very instant: would this be a great joy and happiness to you?" And an irrepressible self-consciousness distinctly answered, "No!

—John Stuart Mill

change self happiness joy opinions self-consciousness

If mankind minus one were of one opinion, then mankind is no more justified in silencing the one than the one—if he had the power—would be justified in silencing mankind.

—John Stuart Mill

opinion power silence censorship mankind dissent

More quotations tagged with “wisdom”

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.

—James Boswell

Force without wisdom falls of its own weight.

—Immanuel Kant

One's first step in wisdom is to question everything—and one's last is to come to terms with everything.

—George Santayana

As one grows older, one becomes wiser and more foolish.

—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Ask counsel of both times-of the ancient time what is best, and of the latter time what is fittest.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

History

11 Jul 2015 Added