Immortal Quote by Charles Sanders Peirce
““All human affairs rest upon probabilities, and the same thing is true everywhere. If man were immortal he could be perfectly sure of seeing the day when everything in which he had trusted would betray his trust, and, in short, of coming eventually to hopeless misery. He would break down, at last, as every great fortune, as every dynasty, as every civilization does. In place of this we have death.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Fixation of Belief, Charles Sanders Peirce, 1877
Human affairs depend on probability; immortality would reveal ultimate uncertainty and inevitable despair, making death a necessary release.
In simple terms: Life is uncertain; death gives closure.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty, value life.
Themes
probability
mortality
philosophy
Mood
contemplative
serious
Type
philosophical
analytical
existential
When to use this quote
- decision making
- risk assessment
- ethical reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does uncertainty shape choices?
- What role does mortality play in meaning?
A Different Perspective
Too pessimistic for some.
