William James Quotes

The stream of thought flows on; but most of its segments fall into the bottomless abyss of oblivion. Of some, no memory survives the instant of their passage. Of others, it is confined to a few moments, hours or days. Others, again, leave vestiges which are indestructible, and by means of which they may be recalled as long as life endures.

William James

We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be.

William James

There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.

William James

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

William James

Human beings are born into this little span of life of which the best thing is its friendship and intimacies, and soon their places will know them no more, and yet they leave their friendships and intimacies with no cultivation, to grow as they will by the roadside, expecting them to keep by force of inertia.

William James