If we disown history we are at its mercy. To have a reasonable knowledge of the past is to possess an anchor which is likely to prevent us from being swept towards false ideas about the present and future.

It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

There’s a psychological phenomenon called ‘reactance,’ that means when people believe that their choices are being limited or they’re going to have to engage in costly behaviors, they’re likely to push back against that and the message can backfire.

The disease having been caused by allowing cleverness to displace wisdom, no amount of clever research is likely to produce a cure.