4 Alfred North Whitehead Quotes on Society

Alfred North Whitehead quotes on society

14. Religion is the reaction of human nature to its search for God. The presentation of God under the aspect of power awakens every modern instinct of critical reaction. This is fatal; for religion collapses unless its main positions command immediacy of assent. In this respect the old phraseology is at variance with the psychology of modern civilisations. This change in psychology is largely due to science, and is one of the chief ways in which the advance of science has weakened the hold of the old religious forms of expression.

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

56. What is morality in any given time or place? It is what the majority then and there happen to like, and immorality is what they dislike.

62. No period of history has ever been great or ever can be that does not act on some sort of high, idealistic motives, and idealism in our time has been shoved aside, and we are paying the penalty for it.