Common Quotes

4888 quotes by 3018 authors

Sociology should... be thought of as a science of action-of the ultimate common value element in its relations to the other elements of action. — Talcott Parsons
The maxim of science is simply that of common sense-simple cases first; begin with seeing how the main force acts when there is as little… — Walter Bagehot
Professors in every branch of the sciences, prefer their own theories to truth: the reason is that their theories are private property, but truth is… — Charles Caleb Colton
Understanding a theory has, indeed, much in common with understanding a human personality. We may know or understand a man's system of dispositions pretty well;… — Karl Popper
In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other preliminaries to settle with the… — Thomas Paine
[I shall not] discuss scientific method, but rather the methods of scientists. We proceed by common sense and ingenuity. There are no rules, only the… — Joel Henry Hildebrand
Someday someone will write a pathology of experimental physics and bring to light all those swindles which subvert our reason, beguile our judgement and, what… — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Do not imagine that mathematics is harsh and crabbed, and repulsive to common sense. It is merely the etherealisation of common sense. — Lord Kelvin
The general mental qualification necessary for scientific advancement is that which is usually denominated "common sense," though added to this, imagination, induction, and trained logic,… — Joseph Henry
We may always depend on it that algebra, which cannot be translated into good English and sound common sense, is bad algebra. — William Kingdon Clifford
Aggression is the most common behavior used by many organizations, a nearly invisible medium that influences all decisions and actions. — Margaret J. Wheatley
I love those historians that are either very simple or most excellent. Such as are between both (which is the most common fashion), it is… — Michel de Montaigne
Learning, to be of much use, must have a tendency to spread itself among the common people. — Henry Ward Beecher
The inconsistency of the institution of domestic slavery with the principles of the Declaration of Independence was seen and lamented . . . no insincerity… — John Quincy Adams
The truth is that the want of common education with us is not from our poverty, but from the want of an orderly system. More… — Thomas Jefferson
The good Education of Youth has been esteemed by wise Men in all Ages, as the surest Foundation of the Happiness both of private Families… — Benjamin Franklin
Students of reading, writing and common arithmetick . . . Graecian [Greek], Roman, English and American history . . . should be rendered . .… — Thomas Jefferson
It is (our) duty . . . to pay especial attention to the principles of government which shall be inculcated therein (at the University), and… — Thomas Jefferson
A zeal for different opinions concerning religion...[has] divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and… — James Madison
What has been said of [God] is either unintelligible or perfectly contradictory; and for this reason must appear impossible to every man of common sense. — Baron d'Holbach

Who Wrote These Common Quotes

3,018 authors contributed a total of 4,888 Common Quotes, led by these top contributors: