The highest ethical duty is often to discard the outmoded ethics of the past.

Humanism involves far more than the negation of supernaturalism. It requires an affirmative philosophy . . . translated into a life devoted to one's own improvement and the service of all mankind.

True freedom is the capacity for acting according to one's true character, to be altogether one's self, to be self-determined and not subject to outside coercion.

The wise man looks at death with honesty, dignity and calm, recognizing that the tragedy it brings is inherent in the great gift of life.

Intuition does not in itself amount to knowledge, yet cannot be disregarded by philosophers and psychologists.

The intuition of free will gives us the truth.

I believe firmly that in making ethical decisions, man has the prerogative of true freedom of choice.

Human beings and their actions constitute the advancing front, the surging crest of an ongoing movement that never stops.

The act of willing this or that, of choosing among various courses of conduct, is central in the realm of ethics.

The cause-effect sequences in our brains are just as determining, just as inescapable, as anywhere else in Nature.

The dynamic, creative present, however conditioned and restricted by the effects of prior presents, possesses genuine initiative.

When someone else's truth is the same as your truth, and he seems to be saying it just for you, that's great.

All beauty has a dark side. Heaven can't exist without hell.

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

When I became poet laureate, I was in a slightly uncomfortable position because I think a lot of poetry isn't worth reading.

I did keep a travel diary once and it was a big mistake. All I remember of that trip is what I bothered to write down.

It was a favorite expression of Theophrastus that time was the most valuable thing that a man could spend.

A goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.

I prefer more spicy food to your Italian to be fair.

As far as I'm concerned, the people who aren't paying taxes don't get to run around claiming that they built everything, that the built the roads and that they built the bridges and so forth.

I'm not making music for old people or young people. [It's] for everybody that wants to listen to it.