3 Alfred North Whitehead Quotes on Civilization

Alfred North Whitehead quotes on civilization

8. It is a profoundly erroneous truism, repeated by all copy-books and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle--they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments.

48. A general definition of civilization: a civilized society is exhibiting the five qualities of truth, beauty, adventure, art, peace.

61. Intellect is to emotion as our clothes are to our bodies; we could not very well have civilized life without clothes, but we would be in a poor way if we had only clothes without bodies.